Eight killed in suspected terrorist attack in Benue community – Police

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The police in Benue have confirmed the killing of eight persons in a suspected terrorist attack on a rural community in the Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.

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The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Cletus Nwadiogbu, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

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Nwadiogbu said the victims comprised five adults and three children.

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He said he had spent most of the day in the affected community alongside other security personnel to assess the situation and restore calm.

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“We have been in the interior since morning. The network was poor because we were in the bush.

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“Some people were killed, and the youths became violent.

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“We have been engaging them, and they have now agreed to reopen the road. They are only waiting for water tankers to extinguish the fire,” he said.

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The police commissioner said investigations were ongoing to determine whether the latest attack was connected to previous killings in the area.

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“We cannot say for now whether it is connected to previous attacks or whether the terrorists simply wanted to achieve their aim,” he said.

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He, however, described the incident as “purely a terrorist attack.”

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According to him, the attackers employed guerrilla tactics, striking the community before fleeing into nearby forests.

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“They operate in the guerrilla warfare style. Once they attack, they immediately disappear into the woods, making it difficult to apprehend them,” Nwadiogbu said.

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He assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to track the attackers and prevent further attacks in the area. (NAN)

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