Suspected herdsmen kill church leader, 3 others

Unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani militia invaded Abebe community in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, killing a Church leader, Mr. Augustine Avertse and three others in the attack.

The gunmen, who were said to have been armed with sophisticated weapons, invaded the community at about 10:pm, and shot sporadically, forcing inhabitants of the community to scamper for safety.

One of the victims, Mr. Augustine Avertse, church leader of Saint Augustine’s Catholic Church, Abebe, alongside his father, Pa Avertse Akaa’am were reportedly shot at close range while trying to escape into a nearby bush.

Also killed at the spot were Uwongul John Akodi and one Monday, who was said to be a visitor to the community, while Mr. Vitalis Adam and Friday Gboko escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries and currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital Obi.

One of the survivals, Mr. Vitalis Adam, who spoke with newsmen on his hospital bed in Obi averred that the attack was unprovoked as there has never been any form of misunderstanding between members of the community and the Fulani herdsmen living around the area.