MAKURDI — Panic gripped residents of Aliade Street in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, after eight persons were killed in a midnight cult massacre on Monday.
The attack, which occurred between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., left the community in shock as gunmen invaded a residential area and opened fire on occupants of a compound before shooting others who came out after hearing gunshots.
Residents said the assailants arrived on motorcycles and stormed the area in a coordinated operation.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said the attackers specifically targeted some individuals staying in one of the houses along the street.
“Some armed men invaded the area around 2 a.m. and attacked people in one of the compounds. Eight persons were killed during the incident,” the source said.
Cult-Related Attack
Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Joseph Keffi, confirmed the incident and described it as a cult-related attack.
According to him, the gunmen first entered a compound where four persons were sleeping, woke them up and shot them dead. Keffi added that four other residents who rushed out after hearing the gunshots were also killed by the attackers.
“It is quite unfortunate and pathetic. The attack happened between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., and from the information available to us, it was cult-related,” he said.
The council chairman explained that the violence may have been linked to an ongoing clash among rival cult groups in Makurdi. He alleged that a suspected cult member from the North Bank area, who had reportedly fallen out with members of his group, sought refuge with friends at High Level, unknowingly putting those around him in danger.
“Unfortunately, the people who sheltered him were not cultists, but they were attacked because they accommodated him,” Keffi stated.
Security Response
He further disclosed that security agencies had been alerted immediately after the incident and had begun efforts to track down those responsible.
According to him, one of the suspected cult leaders linked to repeated attacks in Makurdi had already been identified by residents and security operatives.
“He comes into the state, carries out attacks and disappears. Anytime he returns, several people end up dead. We hope security agencies will intensify efforts to apprehend him,” he added.
Keffi also alleged that the suspect had previously been arrested by the police but was later released, stressing the need for thorough investigations and stronger action against criminal gangs terrorising the state capital.
Security operatives reportedly cordoned off the area shortly after the incident, while investigations commenced.
Sources within the community said the bodies of the victims were later deposited at the morgue of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital and another private hospital in Makurdi.
Police Dispute Casualty Figure
Meanwhile, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed the incident but disputed the reported casualty figure.
According to him, the number of deaths recorded by the police was lower than eight.
“The Police Public Relations Officer will issue an official statement on the incident later, but from our records, the casualty figure is not up to eight,” the commissioner said.
The latest attack has heightened fears among residents of Makurdi over the growing threat of cult-related violence and insecurity in parts of the state capital.
