Otukpo, Benue State — At least five people, including a woman and a former councillor, have been killed in a suspected herdsmen attack on the Otobi‑Akpa community, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, local sources and security reports confirm.
The midnight assault occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, when armed men believed to be armed herdsmen stormed the community and opened fire on residents near a provision store.
Among the victims is Hon. Igbabe Ochi, a former councillor and 2019 House of Assembly candidate, along with four others identified as Achibi Onah, Eje Eba, Sunday Iruja and one woman.
Attack Details and Community Response
Residents told newsmen that the suspected herdsmen invaded Otobi‑Akpa via the railway station bridge from the Ijami axis, moving swiftly to shoot at villagers and loot provisions before fleeing into nearby forests as alarm spread.
An emergency situation report from the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (CPG) indicated that the assailants may have been searching for food supplies for victims they had previously kidnapped, citing a separate Sunday night kidnapping attempt in the area.
Security operatives including police and civil protection guards were deployed immediately to prevent further violence as locals scrambled for safety.
Heightened Insecurity and Kidnapping Concerns
The latest attack adds to a growing pattern of insecurity in Otobi‑Akpa and wider Benue State, where residents have previously reported kidnappings and fatal assaults attributed to armed herders and criminal gangs.
Benue lawmakers and community leaders have condemned the violence, emphasising the need for increased patrols, better intelligence gathering and proactive security operations to protect vulnerable rural communities.
