All through Wednesday, they were alive, hale and hearty, believing life for the best, but by this morning, they had been dispatched to the great beyond.
The traditional ruler, his wife, son and other residents Gunmen have reportedly killed five people, including a traditional ruler, his wife, son and two other residents of the area had been eliminated by gunmen’s bullets.
Accounts say those who did it, had stormed the area in two motorcycles.
They went first to the home of the community’s traditional ruler, opened fire on him and his family members.
Then they headed to a nearby compound where they also cut short two lives, before fleeing.
This is the latest tragedy that has befallen the Olegabulu community of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Sources say the attackers spoke and interacted with people from the community in the local dialect before letting loose their violence.
“The attackers were not Fulani”, a witness told Daily Trust. “When they arrived, they interacted freely with people in our dialect, so no one suspected that they were enemies.
“But immediately they entered the traditional ruler’s house, they opened fire and people started running for safety.
“They operated for about 20 minutes. After attacking the monarch’s residence, they moved to a nearby house and killed two more people. One person was injured before they fled,” a witness said.
“It is true the incident happened. Five people were killed and one person was injured during the attack,” Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, has said, in confirmation of the incident, although the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive details of the incident.
People who were all through the day before were hale and hearty, are now being counted among the dead.
The frequency of such deaths with very marginal number being called to account, seem to bewilder more than anything els.
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