By Peter Duru

MAKURDI—A police officer and six others have been reported killed by gunmen in two shooting incidents and a ghastly motor accident in Vandeikya, Tarka and Ushongo Local Government areas of Benue State.

The incidents also left about 15 persons hospitalised with varying degrees of injuries.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, from an eyewitness that the Police Corporal (names withheld) alongside his colleagues were, Wednesday, on routine stop and search duty by the Federal Government College in Vandeikya town, when a group of armed men, numbering about 20 stormed their duty post and opened fire on them.

“The Corporal was killed on the spot, while three other officers on duty with him sustained bullet wounds and are currently receiving treatment at the Vandeikya General Hospital,” a source told Vanguard.

It was also learned that same Wednesday, at about 8:30p.m., a branded Toyota bus, conveying six People’s Democratic Party, PDP, supporters from Kwande Local Government Area, was waylaid and shot at by armed men at Utange, Ushongo Local Government Area.

“Four occupants of the bus were instantly killed, while the only survivour, who was in a bad state was rushed to a early public hospital for medical attention,” a source told Vanguard.

Earlier same day, two women met their death in a ghastly motor accident at Mbakor, Tarka LGA, on Makurdi-Gboko Road.

The accident, which also left several persons with life threatening injuries, involved a commercial bus, conveying passengers from Abinse to Gboko, and a Toyota Camry car belonging to a Catholic Priest.

When contacted, the Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent, Mr Austin Ezeani, confirmed the incidents.

He said police recovered some of the arms used in the Vandeikya shooting, that the command was on the trail of the masterminds of the attacks.