Suspected herders kill 14 in fresh Benue attack

At least 14 people have been killed in a fresh attack by suspected armed herders on Efeyi in Ugboju District of Otukpo LGA, Benue State, forcing residents to flee their homes.

At least 14 people have been killed in a fresh attack by suspected armed herders on Efeyi in Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The attack, which residents said began at about 5 am and lasted until about 9 am, also left several people injured and forced many residents of neighbouring communities to flee their homes.

A resident of Efeyi, who requested anonymity, alleged that security personnel did not arrive until several hours after the attack began. “The current situation in Efeyi Ugboju is pathetic. The attack started around 5 am, and till after 9 am there was no response from the security agencies. Even the army and police stationed at Ugboju Ogobia have not reached the community to protect innocent citizens,” the resident said.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack, describing it as an unprovoked assault allegedly carried out by armed herders. “It is still the same Fulani militia. There was no provocation, no conflict. They have been attacking communities sporadically in recent days. The level of casualties has increased,” Ogiri said. He questioned why attacks had continued despite the presence of military personnel, mobile police and other security units in the area.

Ogiri also called for the effective enforcement of the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. “Everything is tied to the law,” he said.

The attack is the latest in a string of deadly assaults in Benue South since the killing of the state chairman of MACBAN on 26 June. The violence has displaced thousands and exposed the failure of the state’s security architecture. The Benue State Government has been unable to stop the cycle of attacks, and residents are increasingly taking matters into their own hands.

This echoes the 2018 violence in Benue State, which also saw communities attacked and residents displaced. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: communities left vulnerable and a state unable to protect its citizens.

The winners: none. The losers: the families of the 14 victims; the displaced residents of Efeyi and surrounding communities; and the Nigerian state, which has failed to protect its citizens.

Bottom Line: 14 people are dead in another Benue attack. The security forces arrived hours late. The cycle of violence continues. The question is whether the government will finally act or just condemn.