Benue and Imo have again been enmeshed in theatres of bloody attacks Friday, as gunmen stormed parts of the states, leaving several dead.

In Benue state, the murderers were said to have left no less than 27 dead persons dead and several others injured after the attack.

In Imo State, it was learnt that heavily armed men, suspected to be enforcing the stay-at-home order, stormed Amaraku market located at Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, while another group, whose motive remained unknown, attacked Adogo Ugbaam, Akpuuna and Diom communities in Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state, the same Friday.

Though no formal casualty was recorded in the Imo attack, the victims of the other attack were not so lucky, as apart from killing scores of persons, the gunmen left several others with various injuries, some of which are life-threatening.

Firstly, the gunmen were said to have stormed the venue of a funeral at Adogo Ugbaam community where they killed three mourners on Friday night and on Saturday morning at about 11 am another gang invaded Akpuuna and Diom communities where 24 persons were murdered.

Sources stated that the armed men whose motive was not known, stormed the villages on motorbikes killing the three mourners at Adogo Ugbaam village at about 9 pm after which they invaded Akpuuna and Diom on Saturday morning at about 11 am when the local market in the area was busy with the day’s activities.

“Nobody saw this coming; the armed men stormed Diom and Akpuuna on motorbikes at about 11 am when the local market in the community had picked up with activities after killing three mourners at Adogo Ugbaam village last night (Friday) at about 9 pm.

“At Akpuuna and Diom they shot at anybody they saw, mercilessly killing the people in the market and the two neighbouring villages. There was pandemonium, people ran for their lives but many could not escape. Apart from those killed, many are still missing; and from all indications that number will rise. After killing the people and injuring many, the armed men set fire on people’s property and fled the scene.

“As we speak people are fleeing the attacked communities but the search for missing persons is ongoing. It is a sad day for our people,” the source said about the incident, confirmed by Chairman of Ukum LGA, Kartyo Tyoumbur, who said information at his disposal indicated that 24 bodies had been recovered from the two attacked villages.

He said: “I learnt that after attacking Akpuuna and Diom, the armed gang fled the scene but on getting to the Tine-Nune community on the Zaki Biam-Wukari Road they met the military who confronted them. Though no one knows how many of them were killed but I believe some of them must have been neutralised in that exchange. No one knows the motive of the attackers.”

Spokesman of the Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, a Superintendent of Police (SP) while confirming the incident, said in a statement: “At about 12 pm, a militia gang invaded Akpuna village, Ukum LGA of Benue state and were shooting sporadically. Upon receipt of this information, police teams in collaboration with other security agencies rushed to the area and engaged these bandits who were eventually repelled. Eight corpses were recovered at the scene while many other injured persons were taken to hospital for treatment. Operation is on-going in the area.”

“Here in Imo state, the hoodlums were said to have burnt a tricycle and some vehicles, while destroying some goods at the market, an eyewitness was quoted as saying that they started shooting sporadically in different directions as residents and other people fled the scene.

“The gunmen were angry with the traders and transporters for flouting the order. The attackers warned traders to close shop and never to flout the order, warning them not come out on Saturday. They went on to raze part of the market and burnt vehicles,” the source reportedly said.