Unknown gunmen attacked a bar in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on 27 March 2025, killing at least seven people. The gunmen opened fire on a group of individuals at the bar, with the attack occurring near OxNet Water Factory in Akpehe, Wurukum, Makurdi.
A source reported that the incident unfolded during the late evening, and eyewitnesses confirmed the chaotic scenes. One witness described the events: “I boarded a Keke today bw 7 and 8 pm at Wurukum Makurdi and as we neared OxNet Water factory Akpehe we heard some gun shots in the street, just close to our Keke. People started running helter-skelter. We urged the driver to speed up. Then as we left OxNet, the driver pointed to one of the guys running.
“See blood at his back!” he shouted. The man was dressed in red boxer shorts and a white t-shirt. As the man ran ahead, he branched right and continued, while the Keke sped off towards Tyohon and International Market.
The driver, speculating on the cause of the violence, mentioned the possibility of a cult war or political unrest, especially among APC youth. “According to him, a youth close to one Hwande, a senatorial aspirant, was earlier shot and killed in Makurdi, sparking suspicions of cult or political violence. The slain youth, believed to be the Wurukum Market task force chairman, was reportedly poised to become Zone B’s youth leader in the APC.”
The Keke driver further warned that there were rumors of more killings in Wurukum before and after the funeral of the slain youth. The ongoing tensions between rival factions were becoming increasingly evident.
