Residents of Awe Street in Makurdi are beginning to rebuild a sense of normalcy after a violent outbreak believed to be linked to rival cult groups disrupted the community over the weekend.
DAILY POST witnessed a strong presence of security personnel, including police, military, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), patrolling the streets.
Residents said their deployment has been key to restoring calm.
A shop owner, who requested anonymity for security reasons, expressed relief: “We are happy now. Peace has returned, and businesses are opening again.”
Eyewitnesses claim that the violence started in the early hours of Saturday following what locals characterized as increased tension connected to a previous murder.
Before we heard gunshots that evening, everything was as usual. According to a source, “We already feared something like this could happen.”
According to the locals, two individuals were reportedly hurt, and at least four people were slain, including one who later passed away from injuries.
According to locals, security personnel stepped up activities on Sunday morning and continued to patrol all day and night.
Businesses have reopened and community mobility has resumed as of the time this report was filed.
However, at the time of this report, calls to DSP Udeme Edet, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, went unanswered, making it impossible to authenticate the occurrence.
