Suspected herdsmen kill 15, injure several in Benue community

2026-03-13 - 20:36

By Peter Duru, Makurdi At least 15 persons have reportedly been killed in an attack by suspected armed herdsmen on Ojantele community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State. A source in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attack occurred on Friday afternoon, leaving many residents with varying degrees of injuries, while several others are still missing. According to the source, the attack was unprovoked. “The armed herders came with a large number of cattle and were grazing freely. When some women and children were returning from their cashew farms, the herdsmen suddenly opened fire and began shooting indiscriminately, overrunning the community. “The number of those killed and injured could have been much higher if our people had not fled. So far, about 15 corpses have been recovered, while 11 injured persons have been treated. The wounded have been evacuated to a hospital in Ugbokpo, the headquarters of Apa Local Government Area,” the source said. Another community member, who identified himself as Abu, also confirmed the incident. “It was herdsmen who attacked the community this afternoon, killing more than 15 people. The attack was unprovoked and completely unwarranted. “Our community is now deserted. We are calling on the government to intervene. These were innocent people trying to earn a living who were killed unjustifiably,” he said. When contacted, the Chairman of Apa Local Government Area, Mr. Adams Ochega, confirmed the attack but said he had yet to receive a full report of the incident. “Yes, there was an attack on Ojantele community, but I am currently away on an official assignment. My attention has been drawn to the incident, and I will be able to provide more details tomorrow,” he said. Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.