By Ter Atii
National News – No fewer than four people have been killed and several others, including children, injured following separate attacks by suspected armed herders on communities in Ohimini and Ukum Local Government Areas of Benue State.
The attacks, which occurred between Friday and Saturday, also reportedly left many residents missing, while several cattle were rustled, raising fresh concerns over the worsening security situation in the state.
Residents said the violence began on Friday night in Elulu community, Ohimini LGA, where a young man was allegedly killed and his motorcycle stolen by the attackers.
The gunmen reportedly moved to nearby Agadagba community, where they attempted to rustle cattle but were resisted by local youths. During the confrontation, one of the youths was shot and injured.
A resident, who spoke anonymously, said the attackers returned to Agadagba on Saturday evening and opened fire on villagers, killing two people and injuring several others.
According to the source, the attackers also struck Ochobo community, where about four people sustained gunshot wounds, before attacking Ogoli-Ugboju, where two persons, including a ranch owner, were shot while several cattle were stolen.
The resident lamented that many people had fled their homes as fear gripped the affected communities.
“As we speak, this axis has become a dreaded area. People are fleeing because the armed herders attack at will and retreat into the forests. Our people can no longer live peacefully in their ancestral homes,” the source said.
In a separate attack in Tse-Gbemshin community, Mbazum in Ukum Local Government Area, suspected armed herders reportedly invaded the area at about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.
A local source disclosed that a woman was killed during the attack, while her children suffered severe machete injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.
The community appealed to government and security agencies to investigate the incident, apprehend those responsible and strengthen security across the area.
Confirming the attacks in Ohimini, the Chairman of the local government, Gabriel Adole, said three persons had been killed in the coordinated assaults.
He explained that the attackers first struck Elulu, killing a resident and stealing his Bajaj motorcycle before attempting to rustle cattle in Agadagba, where local youths resisted them.
According to him, the gunmen later returned to Agadagba and killed two more residents.
Adole, however, said security personnel had since been deployed to the affected communities, while local vigilantes had also been mobilised to complement ongoing operations.
He expressed confidence that normalcy was gradually returning and assured residents that the state government remained committed to protecting lives and property.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Chairman of Ukum Local Government Area, Jonathan Modi, were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered.
Similarly, the Benue State Police Command had yet to officially confirm the incidents, as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comments at the time of filing this report.
