Panic gripped residents of Aliade Street in Makurdi, Benue State, in the early hours of Monday after suspected cultists reportedly invaded the area and carried out a deadly attack that left several people feared dead.
Residents said the attackers stormed the community around 2am on motorcycles while most people were asleep. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen reportedly went straight to a compound, forced some occupants awake and opened fire on them at close range.
Four persons were said to have died instantly during the initial attack.
The violence, however, did not end there, as residents who rushed out after hearing gunshots allegedly came under another round of gunfire from the attackers.
Community sources said by the time the assailants fled the area, no fewer than eight people were feared dead.
One resident, who spoke anonymously, described the incident as horrifying, saying the attackers operated swiftly and appeared well coordinated before disappearing immediately after the shooting.
The Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Joseph Keffi, confirmed the incident and described it as cult-related violence.
According to him, the attack stemmed from a disagreement involving suspected cult members, but innocent residents became victims because they reportedly accommodated one of the individuals involved in the conflict.
Keffi added that security agencies had been alerted and were already working to apprehend those behind the attack.
He further disclosed that one of the suspected cult leaders allegedly linked to repeated violent incidents in Makurdi had been identified, although the suspect is reportedly not currently in the state.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, also confirmed the attack but noted that the casualty figure circulating within the community might be higher than what police authorities presently have on record.
He said a detailed official statement from the police command would be released soon.
Security operatives have since cordoned off the area and are combing the community for suspects, while bodies of the victims have reportedly been deposited in different morgues across Makurdi.
The incident has again raised concerns over persistent cult-related violence in parts of Benue State, with residents calling for urgent security measures to prevent further bloodshed.
