Bloodbath In Benue As Armed Herdsmen Raid Communities, Kill 18, Injure Scores ....As Angry Youths Litter Och’Idoma Palace With Corpses, Shut All Routes To Otukpo Town ....Gov Alia fumes, orders security agents to hunt down perpetrators
Editor
Jul 13, 2026 08:54
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From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Fresh attacks in two separate communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen have left at least 18 persons dead and several others injured in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, prompting angry youths to protest at the Och'Idoma Palace.
The first attack took place on Saturday at Akpachi village in Ugboju council ward, where two persons were killed and several others sustained injuries.
It was further learnt that the marauders later moved to Otukpo Nobi community at about 5:00 a.m. on Sunday to attacked and killed at least 16residents at sleep.
A local said that the armed herders invasion of Akpachi and Otukpo Nobi villages is substantially believed to be reprisal actions following earlier killings.
The source who spoke to our correspondent on phone in Makurdi, on Sunday on condition of anonymity, attributed the fresh attacks to retaliations for the June 26 gruesome murder of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Risku Mohammed, and his friend, Yakubu Isah while returning from a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area of the State.
Police had earlier confirmed the arrest of 17 over persons including traditional rulers linked to the killing of the MACBAN chairman.
Reacting to these killings, angry youths from the two communities upon recovered the dead bodies, carried the victims' bodies directly to the palace of the paramount ruler of the Idoma kingdom, the Och'Idoma, His Royal Majesty Agabaidu Elaigwu John Odogbo, to protest the persistent insecurity.
The protesters who barricaded all roads leading to Otukpo town, demanded for urgent intervention from state and federal authorities to stop the ongoing killings in Idoma land.
The executive chairman of Otukpo local government area, Prince Maxwell Ogiri confirmed the ugly incidence, stating that before today, three persons in Akpachi who went to the farm to do their work were attacked and killed two of them while one person who escaped eventually alerted the community.
He said the following day the youths were mobilized to the farm to see whether the people were actually killed or they were injured.
"When we got there and saw their corpses which we brought back and buried on Saturday.
"We have been vigilant all along. We thought that we have combed the bushes that we will not be able to see any of them hiding in the corners for any possible attack. Until very early this (Saunady) morning, at about 4am we woke up with the news that they had besieged Otukpo Nobi and had killed some numbers and injured several others.
"We are trying to calm the youth so that they don't take their anger on innocent passersby. They took corpse of the dead to the Palace of the Ochi'Idoma in protest.
"That was part of the protest. When people are apprehensive and afraid and helpless, you can't monitor directly what they will do. I think it is just the initial reaction to the news of the deaths. You know, I am sure the news of the death of Ardo Risku Muhammad is no longer a news to you, and if you know the mindset of the people we are dealing with, you should also know that reprisals will likely occur", he said.
On the casualty figure, the Chairman said the total number for now is 10, two were killed on Friday in Apachi and eight were killed this (Sunday) morning in Otukpo Nobi, but the youths confirmed that more dead bodies have been recovered totally 18 dead victims.
He disclosed that the local government council is working hard to ensure that those who survived the attack are put in a safe place and take good care of them for now, adding that security has also been beefed up in the area.
When contacted, the Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, could not confirm the development out rightly after a text message was sent to her cell but only replied, “Noted please.
Meanwhile, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has expressed profound sadness and the strongest condemnation following the early morning attacks by suspected armed herdsmen on Akpachi Village and the Otukpo-Nobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area.
Alia described the attacks as not only a breach of peace, but also a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.
He narrated that suspected armed herdsmen invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. while residents were asleep and killed scores of people, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The Governor lamented that he is particularly pained that the attacks occurred at a time when the state government has been working closely with traditional rulers and security agencies to foster lasting peace and harmony.
According to him, "these acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state."
Governor Alia maintained that he shared in the grief and anger of the people of Otukpo and the entire Benue South Senatorial District, saying "your lives are precious, and I can assure you that your ancestral lands will not be surrendered to fear."
Alia in a statement by his chief press secretary Kula Tersoo, warned that while the people of Benue have consistently demonstrated remarkable restraint and a commitment to peace, such restraint must never be mistaken for weakness.
"My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields.
He further directed the security agencies to relentlessly pursue the perpetrators, ensure their arrest and prosecution, and deploy additional personnel and resources to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further attacks.
The Governor called on Benue residents to remain vigilant, saying: "We urge every citizen to cooperate with the police and military by providing timely and credible intelligence. Security is a collective responsibility, and your information is a vital tool in our defence."
While sympathising with the bereaved families and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured, Governor Alia reassured all Benue citizens that his administration remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
