Pandemonium broke out in Zaki Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, on Monday morning when gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed a market and shot dead a suspected rival gang leader.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around 9 a.m. near the abattoir close to the NKST Centre in Zaki Biam. One witness, who identified himself as Terna, said the victim, Ikyoga Joka Biam, was attacked in broad daylight, forcing traders and residents to flee for safety.
Another resident, Jando, suggested that the killing may be linked to long-standing rivalries and violent clashes between criminal groups in the area. He described the deceased as a repentant gangster, though others alleged he had returned to criminal activities, making him a target for rivals.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the killing, adding that investigators are still working to determine whether Biam was killed by associates or by a rival gang.
“The police are on the trail of those behind the killing,” Edet said.
Meanwhile, Ukum LGA Chairman, Jonathan Mordi, declined to comment on the incident.
Ukum is one of three local government areas in the Sankera axis that has become notorious as a hotspot for killings and kidnappings.
