From Scholastica Onyeka Makurdi

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia, have killed seven people, including a man and his wife, in separate attacks on three communities in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.

Daily Sun gathered that while four people were killed in Hirnyam village, one was killed in Governor Samuel Ortom’s hometown, Ortom village, while two others were killed in Semaka village, all of Guma LGA. The incident, according to locals, happened last Friday.

A source from the area, Mr Jonah Iorundu, told Daily Sun that the man who was killed was a Catechist at St. Peter Catholic Church, Hirnyam.

“In their usual pattern, the herdsmen will shoot people and also use cutlass to cut them. They shot the Catechist, his wife and one other woman, and after shooting them, they used cutlass on them,” he said.

He said their bodies were recovered from the bush and have been buried by their relatives. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Command, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to get information on the incident.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Guma LGA, Mr Mike Uba, has confirmed the killings, describing it as sad. Uba, who spoke through the Security Secretary, Guma LG Council, Mr Christopher Waku, said seven people have been killed in separate attacks on three communities in Guma LGA in the last one week.

“Four people died in the attack in Hirnyam; a Catechist, Dominic Dajo, his wife, and two others.

“In fact, he was in his house ironing his clothes so he can prepare to attend Mass. When he heard gunshots, he came out and was even telling someone that they, gunmen, had killed two people already, not knowing it was also going to be his own death. While they were in the house, the wife rushed out and was killed, and while he was also trying to run away, they also killed him. Again, one woman from Ortom village (the governor’s village) was killed, and on Thursday, two people were killed in Semaka village, making it seven.”

He said he could not reach the police on time as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) had been transferred and he was yet to get the phone number of the new one posted to his area.