Countering Organized Crime in Nigeria

Suspected armed bandits have reportedly killed eight persons in a supremacy fight in Chitto and Gbeji communities in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

The killings came less than 48 hours after the Mbatian Ward Commander of the Benue State Livestock Guard, Mr. Jarule Likita, was killed in cold blood by armed men in the same council.

It was gathered from a source in the area that the armed men, who went after each other for the purpose of taking control of the two communities, killed any rival caught and also razed the market in the area.

The source, who disclosed that the bloody fight was still ongoing, explained that five persons were killed in Chitto on Monday, while another three were killed in Gbeji yesteday morning.

He said: “Five people were killed yesterday in Chitto, a suburb of Ukum council by the bandits. They burnt the market there also.

“This was a different attack from that of the Livestock Guard, who was killed in Tine Nune. Four were killed in Chitto town and one in the suburbs of Chitto, in two different attacks making five.
“Unfortunately, there is no council chairmen in place to give directives and the Director-General Services and Administration, DGSA, is most times not from that very council, so everything is just like that.”

Meanwhile, another source from the council told newsmen that the bandits killed three persons, yesterday on Sankera-Chitto road.

He explained: “To the best of my knowledge, the bad guys were fighting themselves. I think that is the summary of what is happening there. The factions are facing each other. We have presence of military in Zaki-Biam and yet they continue to operate like this. It is unfortunate.”

The lawmaker representing Ukum state constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Ezra Nyiyongo, who confirmed the development, said the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Ukum council told him that three corpses had been recovered from the scenes of the attacks.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive report of the incident.

SOURCE: Vanguard
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/08/gunmen-kill-8-in-benue-supremacy-fight/
Gunmen kill 8 in Benue supremacy fight Gunmen kill 3 policemen in Anambra
