No fewer than eight persons, including three children, have been confirmed dead following a suspected terrorist attack on communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, confirmed the casualty figure on Monday, describing the assault as a coordinated terrorist attack carried out using guerrilla tactics.
According to the police commissioner, the victims comprised five adults and three children.
Nwadiogbu said he spent most of Sunday in the affected communities alongside other security personnel to assess the situation and restore calm after angry youths staged protests and blocked major roads over the killings.
He explained that security operatives had to engage community members before they agreed to reopen the roads.
Describing the attackers’ mode of operation, the commissioner said the gunmen stormed the communities, carried out the killings and fled into nearby forests before security personnel could intercept them.
He added that investigations were ongoing to determine whether the latest attack was linked to previous incidents of violence in the area, stressing that it was too early to establish any connection.
The police boss assured residents that security agencies had intensified efforts to track down the perpetrators and prevent further attacks.
The attack reportedly targeted Akpachi village in Ugboju as well as Otukpo-Nobi communities between Saturday and Sunday, leaving several people dead and many others injured.
The killings sparked outrage among residents, with protesting youths reportedly carrying the bodies of some victims to the Och’Idoma Palace to demand urgent government intervention against the recurring violence in Benue South.
Reacting to the incident, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, describing them as barbaric and inhuman.
He directed security agencies to strengthen surveillance, pursue those responsible and deploy additional personnel to vulnerable communities across the state.
The governor said those behind the attack were attempting to undermine the peace and development of Benue State.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called on the Federal Government and security authorities to conduct an independent, impartial and thorough investigation into the attacks.
The human rights organisation expressed concern over the growing insecurity in Otukpo and neighbouring communities, warning that the continued violence has deepened fear among residents and worsened the humanitarian situation in the state.
Amnesty also noted that many people remain missing while several others sustained serious injuries during the attack.
It urged authorities to ensure justice for the victims and strengthen measures to protect vulnerable communities from further assaults.
The latest violence comes barely three weeks after the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Risku, and his associate, Yakubu Isah, who were ambushed while returning from a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area.
Although some residents suspect the latest attack may be connected to the earlier killings, security agencies say no link has been established as investigations continue.
