From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Gunmen, suspected to be remnants of the Benue’s slain warlord, Terwase Akwaza aka Gana, have killed five persons at Pevya, a town in Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue state.
Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen stormed a drinking joint where their target was relaxing with some friends on Wednesday, which was a market day in the community shot him.
A source who pleaded to remain anonymous said the gunmen had trailed a man identified as Oliver who was a member of Vigilante Community Guards to the joint where they shot him and four others dead and injured several others.
The source said that Oliver was killed because he had been an informant to security operatives in the area.
“It is true there was an incident at a community called pevya which is a border to Taraba but in Katsina Ala local government area of Benue state.
“There is a member of Vigilante Community Guards that was shot by local bandits at pevya with four others. His name is Oliver.
“We learnt that the man had been a target of the bandits for sometime now because they believed that he was an informant to security men in the area.
“On Wednesday which happened to be a market day, some local bandits numbering five who were gang members of Terwase Akwaza aka Gana came in a tinted vehicle and trailed him to a joint where he was with other people.
“It was a market day and the bandits on sighting him opened fire on him and others at the drinking joint and succeeded in killing him and four others. Several people were injured who are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the killing in a telephone message.
She said “incident is confirmed but the victims yet to be identified please”.