16 killed in Benue as residents stage protest

No fewer than 16 persons have been reportedly killed in an early morning attack by suspected armed herders on Nobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attack, which occurred between 3:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, also left several residents injured, while many others were reported missing.

The killings sparked protests in Otukpo as angry youths and women blocked major roads, including the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo highways, demanding urgent government action to end the recurring attacks in Idoma communities.

A resident, Comfort Inalegwu, said the gunmen invaded the community while residents were asleep, shooting indiscriminately and forcing people to flee.

“I lost my sister and her two children. The attackers entered her house and shot them. Their bodies have been taken to the General Hospital mortuary in Otukpo,” she said, adding that several other residents sustained injuries.

The protesters warned that they would continue demonstrations and resist any electoral activities in the area unless decisive measures were taken to halt the killings.

Reacting to the attack, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, describing them as a barbaric assault on innocent residents and an attempt to undermine peace in the state.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said the attackers invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, killing scores of residents and injuring many others.

Alia assured residents that his administration would not allow communities in Benue to become “killing fields,” while expressing solidarity with the people of Otukpo and the entire Benue South Senatorial District.

He directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols in affected communities, strengthen collaboration with neighbouring states, and ensure those responsible for the attack were apprehended and prosecuted.

The governor also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with credible intelligence to prevent further attacks.

Efforts to reach the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, and the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.