Traditional ruler, wife, son killed in fresh Benue attack

The traditional ruler of Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, Chief Momo Awodi, and his wife, Abigail, were on Thursday night killed by gunmen in a fresh attack on the area.

Saturday PUNCH gathered on Friday that Awodi’s son, Boniface Ochowechi, was also killed in the attack, alongside Ochowechi Ochegwu and Deborah Ochowechi.

A local source told our correspondent that the attackers arrived on motorcycles and initially blended in with residents before launching the assault.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants gained access to the monarch’s residence and opened fire on him and members of his family.

The assailants were not Fulani, because when they arrived, they greeted people in our dialect. Nobody suspected anything,” the source said.

He added that panic spread after the attackers opened fire, forcing residents to flee for safety.

The assailants operated for almost 20 minutes. After attacking the traditional ruler’s residence, they moved to another house and killed two more people. One person sustained injuries before they fled,” he added.

The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview on Friday, saying five persons were killed and one was injured.

“It is true, the incident happened, five people were killed and one person was injured during the attack,” Ejeh said.

He added that security operatives had visited the scene of the incident.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive official details of the attack.

“I’m yet to get the report, but I am still waiting for it,” she said.