USHONGO, BENUE STATE — By Prime Brief Media
Gunmen have killed three mourners and abducted two others in a brutal ambush on Saturday night, April 25, 2026, as the victims were returning from a burial in Sati-Ikov Council Ward of Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State. The attack, which has deepened fear among residents, is the latest in a series of violent incidents linked to armed groups operating in the region.
A local source who spoke to Prime Brief Media on condition of anonymity due to security concerns confirmed that the victims were ambushed near the community by suspected local militias. "Some mourners returning from a burial were attacked close to our community on Saturday night. Three of them were killed, while two others a male and a female were kidnapped," the source said.
Confirming the incident, the lawmaker representing Ushongo Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Simon Gabo, expressed grave concern over the increasing activities of armed groups in the area. Gabo identified those killed as Bem Msughter, Aondo Chia, and Sunday Terwase, all from different communities within the ward. The abducted victims were named as Aondongu Amos, a POS operator, and Mrs. Arinze, an Igbo patent medicine trader.
"I received a call around 4 a.m. informing me that mourners returning from a burial ran into armed men. They were attacked, three killed, and two kidnapped. Such incidents have been recurring," Gabo told Prime Brief Media.
According to the lawmaker, the community has witnessed repeated attacks in recent weeks. He disclosed that approximately two weeks ago, another three persons were killed in a similar incident in the same area. Gabo alleged that the attackers often cross from neighbouring Katsina-Ala Local Government Area to carry out assaults before retreating, taking advantage of the difficult terrain and forested environment that complicates security operations.
Gabo added that the incident had been reported to the police and that security personnel have been deployed to the area. However, efforts by Prime Brief Media to reach the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, for official comment were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
The latest attack has heightened fear among residents, as communities in Ushongo and surrounding local government areas continue to grapple with recurring violence linked to armed groups. The porous border between Ushongo and Katsina-Ala, combined with the challenging topography of the region, has made it increasingly difficult for security agencies to provide consistent protection to vulnerable communities.
Benue State has been one of the epicentres of insecurity in Nigeria's North-Central zone, with armed herdsmen, local militias, and criminal gangs carrying out attacks on rural communities with alarming frequency. Despite the deployment of Operation Whirl Stroke, a joint military task force, and repeated assurances from state and federal authorities, many communities remain at the mercy of armed groups.
Prime Brief Media will continue to monitor the security situation in Ushongo and across Benue State, and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
#BenueState #Ushongo #Insecurity #BurialAttack #Kidnapping #CommunityAlert #PrimeBriefMedia