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Suspected Fulani militia kill one church leader, three others in Nasarawa

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Herdsmen, Benue



Some suspected gunmen believed to be Fulani militia stormed Abebe community in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, killing a Church leader, Mr. Augustine Avertse and three others in the attack.

The gunmen, who were said to be have been armed with sophisticated weapons, arrived the community at about 10pm, and shot sporadically into the air, compelling inhabitants of the community to scamper for their lives.

Investigation by newsmen revealed that one of the victims, Mr. Augustine Avertse, church leader of Saint Augustine’s Catholic Church, Abebe, alongside his father, Pa Avertse Akaa’am were said to have been shot at close range while trying to escape into a nearby bush.

Also killed at the spot were, Mr. Uwongul John Akodi and one Monday, who was said to be a visitor to the community, while Mr. Vitalis Adam and Mr. Friday Gboko escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries and currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital Obi.

In an interview with our correspondent, one of the survivals, Mr. Vitalis Adam, who spoke on his hospital bed in Obi disclosed that the attack was unprovoked as there has never been any form of misunderstanding between members of the community and the Fulani herdsmen living around the area.

Another survival, who narrowly escaped death told our correspondent that the gunmen might have been on a mission to rob a member of the attacked community of over N200,000.00 realised from the sales of some farm produce that took place in the afternoon of the fateful day.

His words, “But the confusion is that if the attackers were on a mission to rub, while is it that they did not take away anything, including the monies found in the pockets of some of their victims?”

“I think the incident is a sign that another round of crises between farmers and Tiv herders in the southern senatorial zone of the state is about to commence if care is not taken.”

President of the Tiv Youth Organisation in Nasarawa state, Comrade Peter Ahemba, confirmed the incident to journalists in Lafia, alleging that the unprovoked attack was a calculated attempt by enemies of peace to cause another round of crisis.

According to him, it was unfortunate that, while Engr. Abdullahi Sule-led administration  was working hard to ensure a peaceful Nasarawa state, some selfish individuals were working hard to sabotage government efforts.

The Youth President commended the prompt response of the authorities of Keana Local Government Council, security operatives in the area, traditional institution and other stakeholders, just as he called on the Tiv youths to remain calm in the face of the provocation.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the Nasarawa state command, Ramhan Nansel, said that the command was yet to be briefed on the incident as at the time of filing the report.

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