Makurdi, Benue State – An attack by suspected herdsmen on the Otobi community in the Akpa district of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State occurred on Tuesday evening, prompting residents to flee and raising fears of fatalities.
The assault began at approximately 5:30 PM, according to Kennedy Angbo, the lawmaker representing the Otukpo-Akpa Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly. Speaking to Channels Television via telephone, Angbo, who hails from the affected district, stated that while the number of casualties remains unconfirmed, hundreds of residents have been displaced.
Echoing the lawmaker’s concerns, Edwin Emma, a resident of Otobi, told our correspondent that many individuals are feared dead and urgently appealed for intervention from the government and security agencies. “We are being attacked by herdsmen at Otobi community, my wife and children are fleeing from the community as I speak, please call for help,” the distressed resident conveyed.
The Otobi community is notable for hosting the Federal Ministry of Water Resources Multipurpose Water Dam. This latest incident marks the second attack on the community in April, following the killing of a security guard at the dam facility just days prior.
As of press time, the police have not yet issued a statement regarding the attack.
The violence in Benue follows a recent surge in attacks in neighboring Plateau State, where over 100 people have been killed in the past two weeks in the Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas. These incidents underscore the persistent security challenges facing communities in Nigeria’s North Central region.
Otukpo Residents Flee as Suspected Herdsmen Strike Otobi, Site of Federal Water Project
