At least 15 people have been confirmed dead following fresh attacks by suspected armed herders on communities in Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State.
The coordinated assaults, which occurred over two consecutive days, claimed 14 lives in Efeyi-Ugboju, while another resident was reportedly killed in nearby Ipom-Ugboju.
According to local sources, the attack on Efeyi-Ugboju began in the early hours of the morning, catching residents off guard. Several others sustained varying degrees of injuries during the invasion, while many villagers fled into nearby bushes and surrounding communities to escape the violence.
The renewed bloodshed has heightened fears among residents, with survivors describing the attacks as devastating and calling for urgent intervention from security agencies.
The latest killings come amid a resurgence of violent attacks in parts of Benue State, despite recent visits by top security officials and renewed assurances from both state and federal authorities to tackle the worsening insecurity.
Community leaders and residents have again appealed to the government to strengthen security operations and deploy more personnel to vulnerable rural farming communities to prevent further loss of lives and property.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the latest attacks.
