Fresh attacks by suspected armed herdsmen have plunged communities in Benue State into mourning, with residents of the state’s southern senatorial district living in fear as violence continues to claim lives and force families from their homes.
The latest wave of attacks has been concentrated in the Idoma-speaking areas, particularly Otukpo Local Government Area, where nearly 60 people have reportedly been killed in a series of incidents over the past few weeks. The killings have sparked widespread outrage, humanitarian concerns and protests by grieving residents demanding stronger government intervention.
Public anger reached a climax when youths marched to the palace of the Och’Idoma, the paramount ruler of the Idoma nation, carrying the bodies of some of the victims. Protesters accused authorities of failing to protect their communities from repeated attacks.
Many residents believe the renewed violence may be linked to the June 26 killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed, and his associate, Yakubu Isa. Days after the incident, a video circulated online allegedly showing an unidentified Fulani man threatening reprisals against Benue communities. Authorities have not officially linked the recent attacks to that incident.
According to reports, gunmen first attacked Akpachi village in the Ugboju community, killing two people and injuring several others. Less than 24 hours later, another assault on Otukpo Nobi claimed eight more lives. Residents of Ondo community in Ugboju later fled their homes following another attack, while gunmen also invaded Ankpechi community in Ohimini Local Government Area, where they reportedly shot one resident and looted several shops.
Confirming the Ohimini attack, the Chairman of the local government, Gabriel Adole, said suspected armed herdsmen stormed Ankpechi community between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., firing sporadically and causing residents to flee.
The escalating violence has drawn strong reactions from Idoma groups in the diaspora. The Idoma Association in the United States appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent and decisive steps to end what it described as years of sustained attacks on communities in Benue South. The group said the killings have continued for more than a decade, leaving countless families devastated.
Similarly, the Idoma Community United Kingdom (ICUK) urged the Benue State Government to work closely with security agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attacks. In a communiqué signed by its President, Chief Dr. Williams Obande, the organisation condemned the killings and called for justice for the victims.
Residents who survived the attacks shared heartbreaking accounts of their losses. One protester, Ojima Inalegwu, said she lost her only sister and two children during the attack on Otukpo Nobi, while another resident, Anebi Ogwu, alleged that a three-year-old child was killed while fleeing with his mother and that several other vulnerable residents were caught in the violence. Many protesters questioned why stronger preventive security measures were not taken despite earlier threats circulating online.
As communities continue to bury their loved ones, residents are renewing calls for the Federal Government, the Benue State Government and security agencies to strengthen security operations and prevent further bloodshed across the state.
