By Abel Daniel, Lafia

A church crusade in Agboda community, located in the Mararaba Udege area of Nasarawa Local Government Area, was disrupted on Monday evening following an attack by unidentified armed men, during which one participant sustained machete injuries.

Speaking by phone, the organiser of the crusade, Dr. Daniel Ukpo, said the incident occurred between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. when participants gathered for the programme. According to him, people began running for safety after receiving reports of an attack in a nearby community.

“One of the youths in the community was attacked while riding his motorcycle and suffered a machete cut. His motorcycle was also taken. When news of the attack reached us, confusion broke out and people began to flee,” Ukpo said.

He explained that the crusade had to be halted abruptly due to the tension that followed.

Ukpo expressed concern over what he described as recurring security incidents in the Mararaba Udege axis. He recounted that during a recent visit to Ochimi community, residents expressed fears over their safety and the destruction of crops.

He also noted that security presence in the area was inadequate. “People are being attacked on the roads and on their farms, and many cases are not reported,” he added, calling on the government to strengthen security in the affected communities.

Ukpo further claimed that in previous instances, religious gatherings in the area had been disrupted by individuals he described as armed herders.

“The worrying part is that residents here feel defenceless. Many have nowhere else to relocate and are living in fear,” he said.

At the time of this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.