The youth leader may have been taken hostage. “As for the captives, the amir [ruler] has the choice of taking the most beneficial action of four possibilities: the first to put them to death by cutting their necks; the second, to enslave them and apply the laws of slavery regarding their sale and manumission; the third, to ransom them in exchange for goods or prisoners; and fourth, to show favor to them and pardon them. Allah, may he be exalted, says, ‘When you encounter those [infidels] who deny [the Truth=Islam] then strike [their] necks’ (Qur’an sura 47, verse 4)” — Al-Mawardi, al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah (The Laws of Islamic Governance).
“Five Residents Killed, Youth Leader Missing As Herdsmen Again Strike Benue Communities,” Sahara Reporters, March 24, 2023:
No fewer than five people have been killed in a fresh attack on communities in the two local government areas of Benue State by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
It was learnt that a youths leader is still missing in the attack that happened separately on Thursday at Atakpa community in Agatu LGA and in Iwili, Otukpo LGA of the state.
The local farmers of Iwili community in Otukpo LGA alleged that one person was killed during the invasion by the armed invaders while another four were killed in Atakpa village of Agatu LGA.
Daily Trust reports that four people were killed in Atakpa, a village close to his Oshigbugdu while some were hospitalised.
While the Chairman of Agatu local government council, Joseph Ngbede, explained that suspected hoodlums invaded Atakpa on Thursday around 5pm and shot randomly during which four people were killed while the youth leader’s whereabouts have not been established after the incident.
He said, “I can confirm that four people were shot dead, one (youth leader) missing and one injured in the Atakpa village attack by armed hearders [sic]….
