BY PETER DURU

MAKURDI— The death toll in the on-going skirmishes at the Dangote Benue Cement Company, Gboko, has risen to 13 even as it was confirmed that 214 vehicles, including 154 heavy duty trucks and 60 cars have so far been burnt by the two factions of the drivers’ union.

The mob engaged each other in a fiasco at the cement plant Wednesday over an auto-accident which led to the death of a commercial motorcyclist and his passenger.

Also torched by the feuding parties were several business outlets located within the premises of the factory at Yandev.

Meanwhile, the State Governor, Gabriel Suswam who led security personnel on assessment of the level of damage at the factory warned against the escalation of the crisis.

Suswam wondered why a minor disagreement between colleagues at the BCC could be allowed to degenerate to loss of lives and destruction of valuable at the factory.

The Governor said: ‘’I urge the people of Benue State to condemn the level of destruction at the plant because what has happened here is a monumental loss.

‘’It is also paramount that the management of the BCC ensures that disagreements or disputes among its staff are not allowed to degenerate but settled within the plant”.