Herdsmen Attacks Leave Trail of Blood in Benue State
Benue State is reeling from another wave of violent herdsmen attacks that have left several communities in mourning. The state governor, Hyacinth Alia, has confirmed that the attackers infiltrated affected areas through a nearby river, launching a fierce assault on security forces before targeting civilians.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News Monday evening, Governor Alia explained the tactical nature of the attacks and the terrain that enabled them.
“The river is not too far from this axis. So we understand that they came by route of the river,” Alia said.
Gunmen Targeted Military and Police First
The governor disclosed that the assailants, armed and in large numbers, first clashed with Nigerian military personnel and police officers stationed in the area.
“When they got to this town, the first effort they made was to attack the military and the police who usually man the road. But they faced pushback and ran back though they came in huge numbers,” he added.
The confrontation reportedly lasted for two hours, with the attackers eventually retreating toward Lafia in neighbouring Nasarawa State.
Civilians Killed in Agatu and Apa LGAs
Despite the security presence, communities in Agatu and Apa Local Government Areas were hit with coordinated attacks that left numerous residents dead.
In Edikwu-G’Icho, Apa LGA, three young men were ambushed and killed. In Agatu LGA, a man identified as Sunday Dutse, the younger brother of a former council chairman, was killed along the Odugbeho-Ogbaulu road.
Dutse had reportedly fled his home due to earlier attacks and was taking refuge in Ogwule-Kaduna, another community within Agatu.
Benue Communities in Perpetual Fear
This fresh onslaught adds to the growing list of attacks plaguing Benue communities. Despite military and police presence, residents remain vulnerable as assailants continue to use terrain advantages like rivers and border routes to launch surprise raids.
Governor Alia, a Catholic priest-turned-politician, stressed the need for increased federal support and surveillance in these volatile zones.
