Burial of 13 Benue attack victims postponed over missing mortician
Burial of Victims Postponed Due to Mortician’s Disappearance in Benue State
The planned burial of 13 victims, who were killed in an attack by suspected armed herdsmen in the Turan community of Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government Area, has been postponed due to the unforeseen disappearance of a mortician at the facility housing the bodies.
Families of the deceased, along with members of the Concerned Sons and Daughters of Turan Community, had scheduled a mass burial for Thursday, March 12, 2026. Preparations were underway in the nearby Mbachom community, where residents and sympathizers gathered in anticipation of the ceremony.
However, the funeral was halted when relatives arrived at the mortuary and found they were unable to retrieve the bodies. Bemgba Numve, a relative of one of the victims, expressed the confusion and frustration felt by grieving families.
“My brother was killed in the attack, and we planned to bury all 13 of them today. People came from different places to witness the burial, but we could not retrieve the bodies from the mortuary,” Numve stated.
He further explained that upon their arrival, family members were informed that the mortician responsible for releasing the corpses was unavailable. “We learned that he had been taken away and there was nobody to release the bodies,” he said.
Despite the setback, Numve emphasized the community’s determination to proceed with the burial. “We have the right to bury our brothers and sisters. Whoever took the mortician away will not determine how we bury them. We will fix another date,” he remarked.
Efforts to contact DSP Udeme Edet, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, for confirmation of these events were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
