Gunmen Kill Traditional Ruler, Wife, Son, Two Others in Benue Night Attack

A traditional ruler, his wife, his son, and two other residents have been killed in a deadly night attack on Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday night at about 8 p.m., when armed men stormed the community on motorcycles and launched coordinated attacks on residential houses.

A local source said the attackers, numbering about four, first went to the residence of the traditional ruler, where they opened fire and killed him along with members of his household.

The attackers were said to have operated for several minutes before moving to another house in the community, where they killed two more persons and injured another victim before fleeing the scene.

One resident who spoke anonymously said the assailants initially did not raise suspicion as they reportedly greeted people in the local dialect upon arrival.

Local authorities confirmed the incident, stating that five people were killed in total, while one person sustained injuries.

The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the attack and casualty figure, adding that security personnel had visited the scene.

However, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said she had not yet received an official report at the time of inquiry.

Security agencies are expected to investigate the attack, which adds to the growing concerns over violent incidents in parts of Benue State.