Tension gripped the Northbank area of Makurdi, Benue State, Tuesday morning following a brutal confrontation between rival cult groups that left one young man gruesomely beheaded.
According to eyewitnesses, the violent clash broke out in the early hours of Tuesday.
Residents were jolted awake by the sound of gunshots, machete fights, and cries for help as the rival gangs engaged in a bloody showdown.
The lifeless body of the victim, whose identity had not yet been confirmed as of press time, was reportedly found at the scene with his head severed.
Security operatives, including personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and other sister agencies, were swiftly deployed to the scene to restore calm and forestall further bloodshed.
A source within the security circle disclosed that patrols have been intensified around Northbank and adjoining communities to prevent retaliatory attacks.
Benue: One beheaded as cult clash rocks Makurdi