Gunmen Kill Three Mourners, Abduct Two in Benue Attack

On Saturday night, gunmen attacked mourners returning from a burial ceremony in the Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, resulting in the deaths of three individuals: Bem Msughter, Mbakyombo Daav, and Ikov Aondo. Two others were abducted during the incident.

Local lawmaker Simon Gabo confirmed the attack and identified the deceased. He noted that the violence is part of a troubling pattern in the region, with similar incidents occurring repeatedly in recent weeks, including another attack that resulted in three deaths two weeks prior.

Gabo attributed the attacks to armed groups operating across local boundaries, often moving from neighboring Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. The lawmaker expressed concern over the steady increase in violence, highlighting the difficulty in tracking the assailants who retreat into the mountainous forest areas after their attacks.