Fresh unrest has engulfed Michihe Council Ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State, following a deadly assault on Kumpa community by suspected gang members on Thursday.
Local sources allege that the attack was carried out by loyalists of a notorious gang leader known as Orter.
Reports indicate that Orter has admitted responsibility for the incident, describing it as retaliation for a recent military operation in Mbagena.
During the raid, soldiers reportedly stormed his hideout, seizing a rifle and other belongings.
In a further escalation, Orter accused the head of the Civil Protection Guard, Ali Noryila, of providing intelligence to security forces ahead of the raid.
He allegedly vowed to target Noryila’s native community of Tse Noryila and his workplace in Abaji.
Thursday’s killings in Kumpa are being viewed as a warning linked to that threat, raising fears of a wider cycle of reprisal attacks in the area.
Alarmed residents have appealed to security agencies to intervene swiftly and decisively to curb the violence before it spreads further.
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