Nine members of one family — including a two‑month‑old baby — were among the victims as suspected terrorists unleashed coordinated attacks, reigniting fears of worsening insecurity in Nigeria’s North‑Central region.
Nigeria’s North‑Central region was plunged into mourning over the weekend as suspected terrorists unleashed coordinated assaults in Benue and Plateau states, killing at least 27 people.
Among the dead were nine members of a single family and a two‑month‑old baby, in a wave of violence that has reignited outrage over the country’s deepening insecurity.
In Benue State, suspected armed herdsmen killed at least 18 persons in separate assaults on communities in Otukpo Local Government Area, in what appeared to be reprisal attacks. The violence sparked outrage as angry youths carried the corpses of the victims to the palace of the Och’Idoma and blocked major roads in protest.
The attacks began on Friday when gunmen invaded Akpachi village in Ugboju community, killing two farmers on their farmland. Their bodies were recovered on Saturday and buried. Barely 24 hours later, at about 4 a.m. on Sunday, the assailants struck again at Otukpo‑Nobi community, where at least 16 persons were killed and several others injured.
The renewed bloodshed came just two weeks after the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Ardo Mohammed, and his companion, Yakubu Isah, who were ambushed and murdered while returning from a peace meeting.
The killings triggered widespread anger as protesting youths stormed the palace of the Och’Idoma with the victims’ corpses, disrupting a church service and demanding decisive action. Chanting war songs, they accused authorities of failing to protect their communities, insisting that “enough is enough.”
Confirming the attacks, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, linked the incident to possible reprisals following Mohammed’s killing. He explained that after the initial attack on Friday, the gunmen returned early Sunday morning to Otukpo‑Nobi, killing several people and injuring many others.
Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the assaults, describing them as “barbaric and inhuman.” He vowed that his administration would not allow Benue communities to be turned into killing fields, urging citizens to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely intelligence.
Meanwhile, in Plateau State, suspected gunmen killed nine members of the same family, including a two‑month‑old baby, during a late‑night attack on Kum and Wereng‑Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area. The assault, which began around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, lasted for over an hour, leaving the village head critically injured.
Residents described the attack as one of the deadliest in recent times, with gunmen invading in large numbers, shooting indiscriminately and forcing terrified villagers to flee into nearby bushes. The Berom Youth Moulders Association confirmed the killings, noting that the victims were slaughtered in their home.
The latest attacks have thrown both Benue and Plateau into mourning, with residents urging the Federal Government and state authorities to strengthen security and halt the recurring violence. Security personnel have since been deployed to the affected communities, though many residents remain displaced and fearful of further assaults.
