Five people killed in Benue village raid

Benue State has again been thrown into mourning following coordinated attacks that left seven people dead, several others injured, and multiple residents abducted in Otukpo and Oju Local Government Areas.

In Entekpa community, Adoka, Otukpo LGA, five residents were killed when suspected armed herdsmen stormed the village. Several others sustained gunshot wounds, while many villagers remain missing.

A community source said the assailants entered the area with a herd of cattle before unleashing violence.

“They came with many cows, and nobody spoke to them. Suddenly, they started shooting innocent people and burning houses,” he said.

The source noted that the casualty toll could have been worse if residents had not fled for safety. “Many people were saved because they managed to escape the unprovoked attack,” he noted.

The Ward Head of Entekpa, Oliver Inalegwu, confirmed the killings, stating, “It was herdsmen that attacked the village on Monday and killed five people.”

He described the aftermath as devastating. “The village is now empty. We went there with the Council Chairman this morning (yesterday), and there was blood everywhere, it is shocking,” he said.

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Otukpo Local Government Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, who visited the community, said the attackers appeared to have executed a calculated plan.

“At first, it seemed like strangers and cattle were coming from one direction. The cattle were just a decoy,” Ogiri said.

According to him, the armed men approached from another direction, positioning themselves strategically on trees before launching the assault.

“Instantly, five people were killed, and others sustained gunshot injuries. The injured have been rushed to different hospitals,” the Chairman said.

He added that the violence began after a house was set ablaze, followed by indiscriminate gunfire.

Ogiri assured residents that security operatives had been deployed to restore calm. “When I was leaving, the military were moving in large numbers, and we mobilised our civil protection guards,” Ogiri said.

He lamented the vulnerability of the community, stressing that “the locals are largely defenseless, with only small hunting guns to protect themselves.

“The attack has created a humanitarian crisis, as many displaced residents are now scattered among relatives in nearby communities rather than in formal IDP camps,” he lamented.

The council chairman also disclosed that the Deputy Governor had pledged relief materials for the displaced, while additional police personnel were expected in the area.

Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Command spokesperson, Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

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