There was chaos in Zaki Biam town, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, on Monday morning after gunmen killed a repentant bandit in broad daylight.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed a busy section of the town around 9 a.m. and shot dead Ikyoga Joka Biam, who was once regarded as a gang leader in the area.
One resident, Terna, told reporters that the killing happened near the abattoir close to the NKST Centre.
“Some young men suspected to be bandits stormed the town and shot Ikyoga, which forced residents to flee for safety,” he said.
Another witness, Jando, claimed the attack was likely linked to long-running rivalries among criminal groups in Ukum.
He described the deceased as a repentant gangster but added that some locals believed he had returned to his old ways, making him a target for revenge.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident but said investigators were still working to determine whether the killing was carried out by Biam’s former allies or rival groups.
“The police are on the trail of those behind the killing,” she assured.
Local government chairman Jonathan Mordi refused to comment on the attack.
Ukum, along with Katsina-Ala and Logo LGAs, forms the troubled Sankera axis of Benue, which has witnessed frequent killings, kidnappings, and clashes between armed groups.
Despite repeated government promises, the region remains one of the deadliest flashpoints of insecurity in the state.
Residents now fear that the latest killing may spark another cycle of revenge attacks, deepening the insecurity that has plagued Benue’s farming communities for years.
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