Eight persons, including a former state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, retired Major Lawrence Ugbor, have been killed in a communal clash in the state.
Tribune reports a source as saying that unknown gunmen early hour of Thursday attacked a community at Ondo Ogboju in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.
Major Ugbor was said to have been burnt to ashes in his car in what the source described as reprisal attack on Ondo Ugboju community by suspected hoodlums.
Trouble started when some loyalists of one Benjamin Ijachi, a member of the PDP attacked a group loyal to Ijachi Udenyi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former caretaker chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council on Wednesday, injuring many.
Consequently, one Ijachi, popularly known as Kpem, was said to have mobilized his loyalists early hour of Thursday and launched a reprisal attack in the community shooting at anybody on sight.
At the end of the day, eight persons were reported dead, including retired Major Ugbor and their bodies were said to have been taken to the morgue at the General Hospital Otukpo.
Several houses were said to have been burnt down while property worth millions of naira destroyed.
The ugly situation was said to have displaced residents of the community who have abandoned their homes for safety.
State police spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident but said that four persons died.
He said that one person has been arrested and four persons wounded in the crisis.
