Suspected cultists have reportedly killed at least eight people during a midnight attack on a residential community in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
The attack reportedly occurred in the early hours of Monday along Aliade Street in the High Level area of Makurdi, where gunmen invaded a residential compound and opened fire on occupants.
“Some people invaded the area around 2 a.m. and attacked people in one of the houses. They killed several people there”, the resident said.
Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Joseph Keffi, confirmed the incident and linked the killings to an ongoing rivalry between cult groups operating within Makurdi and nearby communities. According to him, four persons inside the compound were first killed, while four others who came out after hearing gunshots were also shot dead.
“It is quite ugly and pathetic. The incident happened between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.”, he said.
Keffi added that security agencies had launched efforts to track down those responsible for the attack. The Nigeria Police Force in Benue also confirmed the incident, though the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, disputed reports that eight people were killed.
“The incident is cult-related, but the number of casualties is not up to eight”, the police commissioner said.
The latest attack comes days after another clash between suspected rival cult groups in the Agwan Jukun area of Makurdi, where at least three people were reportedly killed.
Residents say recurring cult violence in communities such as North Bank, Wadata, High Level and Wurukum has continued to raise concerns over worsening insecurity in the Benue State capital.
