Deranged Man Machets 5 People To Death In Benue

A man who has been identified as Edwin Jato and believed to be about 35 years old has been accused of the gruesome murder of five persons at Naka Earth Dam in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

Generally suspected to be insane, Jato is said to have invited his brother (names withheld) on the fateful day to accompany him to the dam where he macheted him to death and subsequently fled the scene.

After he allegedly murdered his brother, Jato took to his heels. While in flight, he encountered a mother and her two children, whom he also killed. As if that was not enough, Jato is alleged to have subsequently strangulated another peron, bringing the total number of deaths to five, all within the vicinity of the dam.

Investigations revealed that the culprit was allegedly treated at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi for insanity in 2003. He became sane, and had been until the black Sunday of January 20, 2013 when his madness erupted again, only for him to take five lives.

However, according to the secretary of the Local Government, Mr. Mike Torkuma, the suspect was thereafter seized by sympathizers and beaten to death.

The chairman of Gwer West Local Government Council, Mrs. Eunice Mbajwa in an interview yesterday lamented that as a mother she is shocked beyond words over the calamity that has befallen her council and prayed God never to allow a repeat of such tragedy.

Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ezeala, yesterday confirmed the development and decried the use of jungle justice by the community, adding that the police is investigating the matter to ascertain if the man was actually insane