A pregnant woman and four others were Thursday night shot dead in a bizarre circumstance by unknown gunmen at Ayati in Ukum a Local Government Area of Benue State. The attack also left several persons including women with serious injuries.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that the gunmen who rode on about five motorbikes stormed the village at about 8pm and took positions in different strategic places in the village from where they gunned down their unsuspecting victims. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an eyewitness who is also a prominent politician from the area stated that the slain woman was on her way to a funeral when she was hit by stray bullet. “She alongside the other four who were hit by bullets died on the spot before they received medical attention. “Beside the five, several other persons sustained varying degrees of injury from strayed bullets but they were rushed to hospitals in the area for treatment but the remains of the dead have been deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital in the area.”

He said the assailants fled after the attack but noted that the matter was immediately reported to the Police. While lamenting over the unfortunate development, he said, “I wonder why we should be killing each other when we are yet to overcome the invasion of our communities by Fulani herdsmen. “Our traditional rulers must take decisive action to end these killings, and also fish out the masterminds because they cannot claim not to know them since they come from among us.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent ASP Moses Yamu who confirmed the killings however stated that no arrests had been made while investigation into matter was ongoing.