Man goes crazy, attacks and kills five people in Benue state

Culled from Vanguard

People of Tse-Alaaigyu, Ikyaghev district of Naka, Gwer West local government area of Benue State are yet to come out of the shock and unbelief that trailed the heinous killings of five of their kinsmen by a lunatic, Edwin Gyado, who suddenly ran amok and beheaded his unsuspecting victims.

Edwin, a 27 year old graduate of the Calvin College of Education where he bagged an NCE had a history of insanity which also runs in his family.

Saturday Vanguard gathered from sources in Naka the local government headquaters that the culprit popularly called Nomjov slaughtered some his victims at the Naka earth dam, just few metres from their homes and the site of his local block molding industry.
Our source disclosed that the culprit had over a long period of time, suffered from mental derangement and was taken to the Makurdi Federal Medical Centre where he was treated of his insanity and discharged.

But unknown to his people, the young man relapsed into insanity again until he ran amok, killing his brothers, a woman and children in the community.

It was gathered that he had invited some his victims to the earth dam and the factory site pretending that he wanted something interesting to show his victims but ended up slaughtering them.
Though members of the community meted out jungle justice on the insane young man by beating him to death in revenge for the bizarre killings of his victims, his elder brother, Daniel Gyado, a health worker at the local government secretariat told Saturday Vanguard that Edwin lived a normal life and interacted very well with the people until his mental derangement.

Daniel recalled that on Saturday 19th January, 2013, Edwin complained bitterly to him that his in-laws were pressurizing him to complete the bride price on his wife which according to him was a directive from the gods.

He said, “When he told me that, I encouraged him not to be worried by their complaint and assured him that we would pay his wife’s bride price after consultations with the village head”.
Daniel added that he was however shocked a day later when someone called to inform him that his younger brother had gone on rampage in the village, killing five persons including a woman and her daughter whom he hacked to death.
“I could not believe it and so, set out to look for him. Someone told me that he was spotted at Imande village, some few minutes from here, but later I discovered that a mob had killed him at the Makurdi road in Naka town”, Daniel said.

Narrating how the man killed one of his victims, Zaki Tor Gbenda who was a childhood friend of the insane young man before his death said Edwin hacked a 30 year old Mrs. Nyishima Tyosue a native of Tse-Dzwatema, Mbayoondu, Gbaange/ Tongov to death.

“The murdered woman was my uncle’s wife. I watched from afar as the woman pursued Edwin with a stick after he had killed his nine- year old son Terhile Tyosue with a matchet.  Her strength failed her and she fell down. Edwin who she was chasing suddenly came after her, caught up with her and ordered her to kneel down. And in a jiffy, I saw him chop off the woman’s head with the machet. I shouted and he ran after me”, Zaki said as he fought back tears.

Hitherto, the lunatic had invited his 15 year old brother, Iorguma to his block moulding site on the pretense that he wanted to show him something. While there, he chopped off his brother’s head. It was gathered that the insane man suddenly started pursuing people on the streets and a community earth dam where he caught up with a 10 year old Dangote Samuel of Tse-Uchough Nyamshi village and another nine- year old Joy Ortwav both of whom he seriously injured with his machete but later died  at the Federal Medical center, Apir. “After this last killing, the people became aware of his escapades, so youths in the village mobilized themselves and searched the entire village until they caught him where he was hiding in a  bush in a nearby village.

”They had contemplated taking him to the police but they finally resolved to mete out jungle justice on him by beating him to death”.

Commenting on the unfortunate incident, Chairman of  Gwer West local council, Mrs. Eunice Mbajwa who described the incident as horrifying said she could not comprehend the unfortunate killings.

“For sometime now, I’ve not been able to sleep well nor have I been  able to resume work, it’s indeed saddening. But generally, we have ensured that peace prevailed in the entire community”, Mrs. Mbajwa said.

At the time of visiting the troubled village, some youths were seen digging the grave for the deceased mad man while his  shocked wife who had been sobbing uncontrolably managed to utter these words, “my husband was a nice man. I never envisaged that he would commit such an act.”
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in charge of the state,Deputy Superintendent of Police Daniel Ezeala who also confirmed the incident, decried the villagers resort to jungle justice but added that the command was investigating the matter to ascertain if the man was actually insane.