Youths on rampage in Benue, kill seven, raze houses

Benue State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, on Wednesday confirmed that seven persons were killed by irate youths in Gboko.

Owoseni who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in his office said the victims were said to be travelling either to Okene or Taraba State when criminals attacked, killed and burnt them to ashes.

Owoseni said, “We got information around 11am this morning that some hoodlums believed to be of Tiv stock between 9.30am and 10am stormed a garage in Gboko where they attacked seven people believed to be of Fulani extraction, killed and burnt them.’

“The passengers were said to be in the park where they were trying to board a commercial vehicle to Okene or Taraba, police in the area of the attack got information and rushed to the place but the criminals embarked on hurling stones at the police.”

Owoseni, who said some people had been arrested in connection with the crime to help the police with useful information, condemned the act and warned that the command would not hesitate to pull the full weight of the law on anyone found culpable in any criminal act.

He, however, said that the crisis did not have any ‘ethnic, religion or political colouration but a pure banditry’.

He added that the people wanted to cash on the recent crisis in Kadarko area of Nasarawa state, adding that the people had acquired sophisticated arms for the action.

“To me this will further escalate the security challenges that we are facing in the state, it is necessary to emphasize that police will not hesitate to deal decisively with criminal elements who want to take advantage of the situation,”‎ he said.

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