Seven-member family among the dead as different militia groups in Benue conflict

In the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, it was known as “Black Tuesday” because competing militia groups were fighting, and at least forty persons were thought to be dead.

A family of seven and a few farmers were thought to have perished in the crossfire, despite the fact that the majority of the dead were reportedly militia members.

According to reports, one of the terrorist gang leaders hired outside bandits, broke into the Gbagir community in Ukum LG, and started fighting to remove the other militia gang leader from the region.

It was discovered that the majority of the deceased belonged to the opposing militia groups, and that around 12 farmers were caught in the crossfire, resulting in over 30 injuries and numerous people reported missing.

Speaking under anonymity to avoid becoming a target, a traditional ruler in the area revealed that the brutal conflict broke out on Tuesday morning when a militia leader from Ukum LGA abducted another militia leader from the nearby Chinkai community in Wukari LGA of Taraba State.

He said, “After kidnapping them, he asked for N100 million ransom but he was given N5 million. After collecting the money, he killed the hostages.

In Taraba State, his gang members were incensed about the hostages’ deaths. This occurred during the weekend.

In order to aid the Fulani militia gang in Taraba in taking out the rival gang in Ukum that had slain their leader, a second militia gang leader from Ukum went and allied with them.

The main goal was to give him the authority to lead the militia in Ukum. The violent conflict broke out on Tuesday morning as the hundreds of members of the Tiv and Fulani militia gangs moved into the Gbagir bushes in an attempt to capture the group that had assassinated the commander.

“We have records of roughly 12 farmers who were caught in the crossfire, but from what we’ve heard, over 40 people—mostly bandits—have died. Thirty-plus more people were hurt, and a few more went missing.

Sadly, a family of seven from Tse Adzandeh Mbasaa, Mbajiga, Ityuluv, Torov was caught in the crossfire. Each of them belonged to the Adzandeh family.

on 20 individuals were slain, according to Nyiyongo Ezra, the legislator for Ukum State Constituency in the House of Assembly, who was unable to provide specifics on the incident.

He said, “For now, I cannot tell you the cause of the attack but the information I heard was that about 20 people were killed.”

Although attempts to reach Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, were unsuccessful, a military source informed reporters in Makurdi on Wednesday that local militiamen were responsible for some of the attacks in that region of the state.

“These are militia men killing themselves,” he uttered. Although we admit that one or two individuals may have been caught in the crossfire, the bulk of those slain were local militia gang members.

“We are currently in Kwande and are trying to contain the situation in the area and as you can see, calm has been restored,” the military source stated, declining to comment on the number of casualties. The herdsmen have been driven from the area, and I promise that everything will return to normal.

Nevertheless, our troops are there in Ukum to make sure that no innocent civilians are harmed by the attack.

More police have been sent to the area, according to state commissioner of police Emmanuel Adesina, who also declined to comment on specifics of the situation.

“The search for people is ongoing, but we have recovered five corpses so far,” he stated.