Thugs Abduct Mortuary Attendant to Stop Mass Burial of Benue Bandit Attack Victims

• Suspected thugs have abducted a mortuary attendant in Benue State in an alleged attempt to prevent the planned mass burial of victims killed during a recent bandit attack in Kwande Local Government Area.

A mortuary attendant at NKST Hospital located in Jato Aka, the headquarters of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, identified as MT Tiga, was on Thursday abducted by suspected thugs who allegedly wanted to prevent a planned mass burial for victims of a recent bandit attack.

The attack had occurred in Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities, located in the Yaav and Mbadura council wards of Kwande Local Government Area.

The abduction reportedly prevented families of the victims from accessing the corpses deposited at the hospital mortuary, as there was no official available to attend to them.

Bandits had invaded the communities on March 5, killing several people and leaving many others injured.

Reacting to the killings, the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, described the attacks as “senseless and barbaric” in a statement issued by his media aide, Solomon Iorpev, and called on security operatives to apprehend those responsible.

Eleven victims were scheduled for a mass burial on Thursday, an event that had drawn mourners and priests from within and outside the state.

However, the burial arrangement was disrupted when the suspected thugs allegedly stormed the hospital, abducted the mortuary attendant and sealed the mortuary, preventing families from retrieving the bodies.

Condemning the development, the All Progressives Congress in Benue State described the act as disgraceful and alleged that it was sponsored.

In a statement issued by the party’s state publicity secretary, Daniel Ihomun, the party said the incident was an attempt to stop the people of Turan from conducting the mass burial.

“We have received disturbing reports that sponsored thugs abducted a mortuary attendant, Mr. MT Tiga, and sealed his mortuary facility in a desperate attempt to prevent the people of Turan from carrying out a mass burial for the victims who were killed in Mbachoon, Yaav District of Turan in Kwande Local Government Area,” the statement said.

The party described the act as inhumane and an assault on the community’s right to mourn and bury their dead with dignity.

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It also commended Alex Barbir, who reportedly travelled from the United States to show solidarity with the affected community and witness the burial.

Similarly, the President-General of Mdzough U Tiv Worldwide, Iorbee Ihagh, a retired Comptroller General of Prisons, described the incident as shameful.

“It is very shameful. People came from far away, even outside the country, but the mortuary attendant was not seen and the place was locked. The people wanted to force the mortuary open, but the priest said they should not do that,” Ihagh said.

When contacted, the Chairman of Kwande Local Government Area, Neji Terhile, said those mobilising for the mass burial did not take into consideration the volatile security situation in the area.

He added that some of the victims had already been buried.