Several people have been killed in fresh attacks by suspected armed herdsmen on communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, weeks after the killing of the state chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Risku.
Local media organisations, including Idoma Television, reported that the attacks began on Saturday when suspected herders invaded Akpachi village in Ugboju community, killing two residents and injuring several others.
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The attackers reportedly struck again in the early hours of Sunday, invading Otukpo-Nobi, where at least eight more people were killed, according to the local media outlet.
The casualty figure could not be independently verified by PREMIUM TIMES as of the time of filing this report.
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The latest attacks reportedly triggered protests in Otukpo, where angry youths marched to the palace of the Och’Idoma, demanding urgent intervention from the government and security agencies to halt the recurring violence in Benue South.
Governor reacts
Reacting to the attacks, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, describing them as “a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.”
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said the attacks occurred between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. when suspected armed herdsmen invaded Akpachi village while residents were asleep.
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He said the assailants killed scores of people and left many others with varying degrees of injuries.
“These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state,” Mr Alia said.
“My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields.”
The governor directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols across the affected communities and border areas, to work with neighbouring states, and to ensure that those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.
He also urged residents to support security agencies with credible intelligence.
“We urge every citizen to cooperate with the police and military by providing timely and credible intelligence. Security is a collective responsibility, and your information is a vital tool in our defence,” he said.
Fears of reprisal
The attacks have renewed fears of escalating violence in Benue South, with many residents linking them to the killing of the Benue State MACBAN chairman, Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Risku and his associate, Yakubu Isa, were ambushed and killed on 26 June around Okwudu in Otukpo Local Government Area while returning from a peace meeting convened by authorities in Ohimini Local Government Area.
The killing drew widespread condemnation, with Amnesty International describing it as “appalling that attending a peace meeting had turned out to be a death trap” and calling for a prompt, transparent and impartial investigation.
Governor Alia also condemned the murder, describing it as “a calculated attempt to undermine the peace and reconciliation efforts” of his administration, and directed security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible.
READ ALSO: Herders kill 15 in Benue days after MACBAN chairmans murder
Days later, the Benue State Police Command announced the arrest of 10 suspects in connection with the killing of the MACBAN chairman.
Although security agencies have not linked the latest attacks to Mr Risku’s killing, residents of the affected communities fear they may be reprisal attacks, given the timing and the heightened tensions that followed the murder.
The police had yet to issue an official statement on the latest attacks as of the time of filing this report.
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