Benue youths, Police in a shoot-out

Benue youths, Police in a shoot-out



Benue state capital, Makurdi, has reportedly been plunged into a state of unease pervades as youths engage security operatives at Wadatta area, a suburb of the capital city.

Punch reports that some youths had gathered in a particular place, with policemen and soldiers suspecting they could cause havoc, hence the decision to engage the youths.

NAIJ.com gathered that some suspected miscreants at Wadata started gathering around 8.00pm on Sunday, January 14, and security operatives were said to have been alerted immediately.

Reasons for their gathering could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

Both Tiv and Hausa youths had caused mayhem on Saturday, January 13, which led to several persons being injured and currently receiving treatment in hospitals in Makurdi.

The youths were said to be on a mission to avenge the death of their kinsmen.

A resident of the area who spoke to Punch correspondent said shootings were still going on as at 9.00pm

Since the attack in some parts of the ancient town, soldiers have been stationed in Wadatta area to quell any possible outbreak of riot

When contacted, the Police public relations officer, Moses Yamu, who confirmed the report, said the command received a report that “some cult members” were gathering around Wadataa and security men were promptly drafted to the area.

“We learnt that some cult members were gathering at Wadatta and we have drafted security men to the area,” he said.

When asked if gunshots were still ongoing at the time of filing this report, Yamu said “there was no cause for alarm.”

NAIJ.com previously reported that the federal government appealed to the media and public commentators to exercise utmost restraint in their coverage of the fallouts of the recent farmers/herders’ clash in Benue.

The minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the appeal in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, January 13, cautioned against “incendiary comments, unrestrained use of pictures and footages that offended human sensibilities” in the coverage of the crisis.