Benue State was thrown into mourning on Sunday after suspected armed herders allegedly stormed Nobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area before dawn, killing no fewer than 16 residents in one of the latest waves of violence to hit the state.
The gruesome attack ignited outrage across Benue South, as hundreds of angry women and youths flooded the streets of Otukpo, barricading the Makurdi–Otukpo and Enugu–Otukpo highways, as well as roads leading to the palace of the Och’Idoma, demanding urgent government action to halt the recurring bloodshed.
Residents said the attackers invaded the community between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., firing indiscriminately into homes and forcing terrified villagers to flee for safety.
One of the survivors, Comfort Inalegwu, recounted the horror of the attack, saying she lost her sister and two of her children after gunmen reportedly broke into their home and shot them at close range.
“Some Fulani herdsmen, between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. today, attacked Nobi community in Otukpo, shooting sporadically, which made residents flee. At least 16 people were killed this morning during the attack. I lost my sister and two of her children. The Fulani entered her house and shot them. Their corpses are now at the morgue of Otukpo General Hospital,” she said.
She added that several residents sustained injuries, while many others remained unaccounted for hours after the attack.
Inalegwu warned that women in the area would sustain their protests and reject any election activities in the community until authorities took decisive steps to end the repeated killings in Idoma land.
The killings brought commercial activities in Otukpo to a standstill as protesters blocked major roads, insisting that enough was enough. They accused both the federal and state governments of failing to protect lives and property despite the persistent attacks on rural communities.
Reacting to the massacre, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, describing them as a barbaric assault on innocent citizens and a calculated attempt to undermine peace and security in the state.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor disclosed that the attackers reportedly invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, while residents were asleep.
“The suspected armed herders reportedly invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. while residents were asleep. The attackers killed scores of people, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries. These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state,” the statement read.
Governor Alia expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and assured residents that his administration would not allow criminal elements to overrun communities in Benue.
“My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields,” the governor said.
He directed security agencies to intensify surveillance, strengthen collaboration with neighbouring states, increase patrols in vulnerable communities, and ensure that those behind the attack are apprehended and brought to justice.
The governor also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies to help prevent future attacks.
The latest massacre adds to the growing list of deadly attacks blamed on suspected armed herders in Benue State, where farming communities have endured years of violence, mass displacement and destruction, despite repeated promises by authorities to restore peace and guarantee the safety of residents.