By Peter Duru & Golok Nanmwa
No fewer than 27 persons have been killed in separate attacks on communities in Benue and Plateau states, following fresh assaults by suspected armed groups that have left residents mourning and demanding urgent government intervention.
In Benue State, at least 18 persons were killed in separate attacks on communities in Otukpo Local Government Area, while nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in an attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
In Benue South, suspected armed herdsmen reportedly launched attacks on Akpachi village in Ugboju community and Otukpo-Nobi community over the weekend.
The first attack occurred on Friday when the assailants invaded Akpachi village, killing two farmers on their farmland. Their bodies were recovered on Saturday and buried.
Barely 24 hours later, at about 4am on Sunday, the attackers struck Otukpo-Nobi community, killing at least 16 persons and injuring several others.
The renewed violence came about two weeks after the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed, and his companion, Yakubu Isah, who were ambushed and killed at Okutu community in Otukpo while returning from a peace meeting in Idekpa, Ohimini Local Government Area.
The latest killings triggered outrage in Otukpo as angry youths stormed the palace of the Och’Idoma with the bodies of victims, disrupting an ongoing church service and demanding decisive action from the authorities.
The protesters, chanting war songs, accused government and security agencies of failing to protect their communities, insisting that the recurring attacks must stop.
The protest caused tension in the town as youths blocked major roads, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
A resident, Ebi Adoyi, who joined the protest, said the attacks had thrown affected communities into mourning, adding that more casualties could be recorded as searches for missing persons continue.
“After killing two people in Akpachi on Friday, they attacked Otukpo-Nobi, killing 16 persons, including women and children. My neighbour lost her elder sister and her children in that attack,” he said.
Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attacks, linking them to possible reprisals following the killing of the MACBAN chairman.
He said the first attack occurred when three villagers went to their farms in Akpachi.
“The attackers came and killed two of them. One escaped and alerted the community. We recovered the corpses on Saturday and buried them. We had combed the bushes believing the attackers had fled, but early Sunday morning, around 4am, we received reports that they had besieged Otukpo-Nobi, killing several people and injuring many others,” Ogiri said.
He added that efforts were ongoing to relocate survivors to safer locations, provide medical assistance and strengthen security in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the Benue attacks, describing them as barbaric and an assault on the lives and peace of the people.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor directed security agencies to intensify surveillance, collaborate with neighbouring states, track down the attackers and ensure they are prosecuted.
In Plateau State, the attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area occurred late Saturday night.
Residents said the gunmen stormed the communities at about 11:30pm and operated for over an hour, shooting indiscriminately and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.
A resident, Precious Tok, said the attackers invaded a home and killed nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby.
The village head was also reportedly attacked and sustained critical injuries.
National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the incident, saying the attackers struck under the cover of darkness and unleashed violence on helpless residents.
He said security agencies had been alerted and expressed hope that those responsible would be arrested and brought to justice.
The latest attack has heightened fears among residents, who called on the Federal and Plateau State Governments to strengthen security measures in Riyom and other vulnerable communities.
Security personnel have reportedly been deployed to the affected areas, while many residents remain displaced and apprehensive over possible further attacks.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
