By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Barely five days after burying their mother, the family of Lawrence Iorwa has been plunged into fresh tragedy following a violent attack on their family compound by unknown armed men.
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According to eyewitness accounts, three unidentified gunmen, stormed the residence of the mourners in the early hours of Friday, subjecting family members to severe beatings and torture.
They were said to have also demanded the money contributed during the burial of their late mother, who died in a motor accident along the Amaafu-Katsina-Ala Road.
“The brutal assault left several members of the family injured and traumatized. Lawrence’s father reportedly sustained a badly swollen leg, while Lawrence himself suffered serious injuries to his hand.
“An aunt and an uncle’s wife who were also in the house at the time of the attack were beaten and robbed.
“Despite resistance from the victims, the assailants overpowered them and carted away all available cash and valuables in the house,” he said.
The armed men reportedly carted away phones, packed shuttle bags, clothes, and all personal belongings of some of the victims.
“In a particularly distressing development, the attackers also took away the clothes of the family’s late mother.
“The gunmen further compounded the family’s ordeal by stealing their motorcycle, effectively cutting off their only means of transportation and leaving them stranded.”
Speaking on the incident, an emotional member of the family who spoke on condition of anonymity described the attack as devastating, noting that “the family is now grappling with physical injuries, emotional trauma, and deep uncertainty.
“We are still trying to recover from the loss of our mother when this happened. Our father is injured, others are badly beaten, and all we had were taken away. It feels like our world has been turned upside down.”
He added that the impact of the attack had been so severe describing life since the incident as “unfamiliar and deeply unsettling. Nothing feels normal anymore. We are scared, hurt, and unsure of what to do next,” he said.
The family appealed to security agencies, relevant authorities to intervene and ensure the arrest of the masterminds of the attack.
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