From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia have killed four mourners at Ankpali village in Edikwu District of Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.
A source in the community who didn’t want to be named disclosed that the victims who were natives of Ankpali village were ambushed while returning from a funeral in Ugbokpo, the local government headquarters, last week Friday.
The source also said the attackers also left many residents with various degrees of injuries while several other persons were still missing.
The incident came barely two weeks after a similar attack on the Ugbobi community claimed the lives of the traditional ruler of the community and several others and one week after Olijamu village was raided by the marauders also.
The source said, “The attack, like others, was unprovoked, the victims were returning from a funeral in Ugbokpo when they ran into the ambush by armed Fulani herders in Ankpali.
“They opened fire on the mourners killing four of them and injuring some others. As we speak some persons are still missing.
“Though the youths of the community are searching for them but the people in the village are fleeing to adjoining villages for fear of being killed by the attackers.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, said she has not received a report of the incident.
