Teen killed, villagers flee in fresh Benue attack
A 15-year-old boy was killed and hundreds of cattle rustled in a fresh armed attack on Ugboju communities in Otukpo LGA, Benue State, forcing residents to flee their homes.
Residents of Ugboju communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State have reportedly fled their homes following a fresh armed attack that left a 15-year-old boy dead, one person missing and a herd of cattle rustled. The attack, which occurred at about 7am on Monday in Olahimu village, allegedly targeted a herd of cattle belonging to the family of the late Ardo Risku Muhammad, who was killed in a similar attack weeks ago.
In a statement issued on behalf of the family, Muhammed Idris said his 15-year-old younger brother, Muhammad Isiyaku, was shot dead during the attack, while four other persons initially declared missing were later accounted for, except one labourer, Saidu Musa, whose whereabouts remain unknown. He added that about 500 cattle were rustled during the invasion. Although some were later recovered during a search around the Okwudu axis, several were reportedly killed, while others remain missing.
Confirming the development, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, said he immediately alerted the District Head and the Divisional Police Officer after receiving a distress call. He said security personnel and local youths were mobilised to the area, but one victim had already been killed before they arrived, while the attackers had fled with the cattle.
Ogiri expressed concern over the rising wave of attacks in the area, recalling that armed men had recently rustled cattle from a ranch in Jericho village in Ugboju and carried out raids on neighbouring communities. He disclosed that the latest attack has forced many residents of the affected communities to flee for safety due to fear of further violence. The council chairman said security deployment had been reinforced in the area, noting that many police officers, alongside other security agencies, were currently operating within Otukpo LGA.
The family of the victim has appealed to the Benue State government, the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the missing labourer, recover the remaining cattle and strengthen security across the affected communities.
The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Benue State, where farmer-herder conflicts and communal clashes have claimed hundreds of lives. The government’s response has been reactive, with military deployments and peace committees that have done little to stop the cycle. The latest attack is a reminder that the violence is far from over.
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 family of the 15-year-old victim; the displaced residents of Ugboju; and the Nigerian state, which has failed to protect its citizens.
Bottom Line: A teenager is dead, hundreds of cattle are gone, and villagers are fleeing in Benue. The cycle of violence continues. The government is watching. The question is whether it will act or just condemn.