Terrorists struck twice in Benue State on Friday evening, killing three people in attacks hours apart along communities near the Otukpo–Enugu Road.
The first incident happened around 5pm in Ukpamaju village, Otukpo Local Government Area.
Terrorists shot two farmers dead as they worked on a farmland with a tractor.
The victims were Friday Omoha from Ogbadibo LGA and Francis Liambee from Guma LGA, who operated the tractor hired from Gboko.
Residents described how the attackers, believed to number around 15 and armed with AK-47 rifles, carried out the killings before fleeing into nearby farms.
Security forces responded quickly to distress calls.
Troops moved into the area but found the terrorists had already left.
Officials took the bodies to the mortuary at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo.
Maxwell Ogiri, chairman of Otukpo LGA, confirmed the details.
While teams handled the first scene, another call came in around 10pm.
Terrorists blocked the Ojano axis of the Otukpo–Enugu highway in Ohimini LGA.
They attacked a TMT mass transit vehicle and other motorists.
Security operatives and troops from Operation Whirl Stroke engaged them in a gunfight.
Three passengers suffered injuries and received treatment at a hospital, but one died later from the wounds.
Ogiri noted that the same group likely carried out both attacks based on the number of terrorists involved and the timing.
The incidents left residents in the area shaken and highlighted ongoing security challenges in the region.
Local leaders called for stronger measures to protect farmers and travelers on the roads.
Families of the victims now face the pain of sudden loss as authorities continue to investigate.
