Council boss faults killing of three Benue traders in Taraba

The chairman of Logo Local Council in Benue State, Clement Ungwacii Kav, has condemned the killing of three fish traders from his local government by suspected militias in Wukari Local Council of neighbouring Taraba State.

Logo and Wukari share a common boundary. Both have, in recent times, experienced intermittent tensions.

The latest violence reportedly occurred when the victims, two men and a woman, were lured to Shaor settlement in Wukari under the guise of purchasing fish at a discounted price.

Sources revealed that the invitation was a ruse that led to a deadly ambush.

A lone survivor of the attack recounted the harrowing incident to the district head of Ukemberagya/Tswarev, stating that the traders were murdered en route to Zebo, another community within Wukari Council.

Reacting in a statement yesterday, Kav described the attack as “senseless and unacceptable,” decrying the continuous targeting of his constituents.

He called on both the Taraba State Government and the Federal Government to intervene urgently to prevent further bloodshed.

“As the executive chairman, my foremost responsibility is to protect lives and property. I cannot sit idly while militias from neighbouring states are killing my people,” Kav said.

He urged his counterpart in Wukari Council to swiftly deploy security measures to forestall future attacks and to foster peaceful coexistence between the border communities.

Kav also appealed for calm and unity among the affected communities, saying, “We are one Nigeria. We must strive to live peacefully and resolve our differences through dialogue, not violence.”

The chairman also called on residents of Ukemberagya/Tswarev and the wider Logo community to remain peaceful and law-abiding, assuring them that efforts are underway to identify and prosecute those responsible for the killings.