Two persons lost their lives on Wednesday, January 7, following a violent confrontation between rival cult groups in Jato Aka, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident was confirmed on Thursday in Makurdi by the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, who said the clash involved members of the Red and Black cult groups.
According to her, several individuals sustained injuries of varying degrees during the confrontation and were taken to nearby health facilities for medical treatment.
She said, “On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at about 10:30 hours, operatives attached to Jato-Aka Division responded to a violent clash between rival cult groups known as Red and Black.
“The clash resulted in the death of two male persons, while other victims sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment.”
Edet disclosed that police operatives arrested eight suspects in connection with the incident. Those arrested were identified as Mvaater Adebo, Pineter Akurayati, Daniel Ese, Samuel Kwaghzer, Isaac Iorapul, Terungwa Tertese, Aondonenge Aper and Ternenge Aondokura.
She further revealed that in a separate operation on the same day, a suspected bandit was neutralised during a gun battle with police officers who foiled an attempted kidnapping of a hotel owner in Zaki Biam, Ukum Local Government Area.
The police spokesperson said items recovered from both operations included one locally made pistol, one expended cartridge, two axes and two machetes.
Other recovered items, she added, included one locally fabricated Beretta pistol, two rounds of live 9mm ammunition and a bag containing charms.
Edet stated that security operations were ongoing to track down other suspects who fled the cult clash, noting that additional patrol and tactical teams had been deployed to neighbouring communities to arrest fleeing suspects, some of whom may have sustained gunshot wounds.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Ifeanyi Emenari, reassured residents of the command’s determination to protect lives and property across Benue State.
He also urged members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information to assist the police in preventing and combating crime.
The command added that it had recently stepped up its crackdown on cult-related activities across the state, following the arrest of four suspected cultists in Gboko last week, an incident, it was gathered, claimed two lives during another rival cult clash.
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