Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has condemned the killing of at least 12 people in Kwande Local Government Area, describing the attack as “barbaric, senseless and unacceptable.”
The condemnation came as gunmen also shot dead Udeh Ijachi, a former caretaker chairperson of Otukpo Local Government Area, in a separate incident that has heightened security concerns across the state.
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In a statement issued on Friday by his Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, Solomon Iorpev, the governor said the killings occurred in Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities in Yaav and Mbadura council wards of Kwande.
“The attack is barbaric, senseless, and unacceptable,” Mr Alia said, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives and extending condolences to the families of the victims.
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He said the attack left 12 people dead and several others injured, adding that security agencies had been directed to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible and prevent further violence.
“Every life matters, and the loss of even one life is too many,” the governor said, assuring residents that his administration would pursue justice for the victims.
Mr Alia also acknowledged the recent deployment of more than 400 security personnel to Jato Aka and other parts of Kwande, but said the latest attacks indicate that more needs to be done to secure the area.
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He urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies working to restore peace.
“The complexities of insecurity are challenging but not insurmountable. We will not rest until peace is achieved in Kwande and across Benue State,” he said.
Former council chair killed
The governor’s reaction came hours after gunmen killed Mr Ijachi, a former caretaker chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, in a separate attack on Thursday night.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants ambushed him in front of Okabido Hotel in Otukpo and opened fire before fleeing the scene.
“They just opened fire on him and ran away immediately,” a resident who witnessed the incident said. The resident requested anonymity for security reasons.
The shooting triggered panic in the area as residents and passers-by rushed to the scene, according to witnesses who also asked not to be named for safety reasons.
Mr Ijachi, popularly known as “Honourable Ukpem,” was well known in political and community circles in the state.
Security authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the killing as of the time of filing this report, but investigations were expected to begin to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Fresh attacks in Kwande
The governor’s statement followed renewed violence in parts of the Kwande Local Government Area.
Residents of the Mbaav community in the Turan district said gunmen attacked the area earlier this week, leaving several people dead and others missing.
Community members told PREMIUM TIMES that more than five bodies were recovered after the attack, while search efforts continued for missing persons.
Some residents who spoke to this newspaper declined to be named, citing security concerns.
Pattern of violence
The latest killings add to a series of attacks that have continued to affect communities in Kwande and other parts of Benue State.
On 13 June 2025, suspected armed attackers carried out a deadly assault on the Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area, killing scores of residents and displacing many others, according to earlier PREMIUM TIMES reports.
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Authorities later arrested several suspects in connection with that attack, and nine of them were arraigned on 2 February 2026 before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Despite ongoing security operations and recent deployments of additional personnel to vulnerable communities, residents say sporadic attacks continue to threaten farming settlements and rural communities in parts of the state.
Governor Alia said his administration would continue working with security agencies to address the situation and ensure the safety of residents.
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