At least four people have been killed following a deadly overnight attack on Otobi Akpa community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, while several residents are still unaccounted for.
One of the victims, Pastor Mrs. Menu Ojiji, was reported to have died from shock triggered by the intense gunfire unleashed during the assault.
Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred at about 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday when heavily armed assailants stormed the Otobi community, firing shots indiscriminately and leaving four young men lying lifeless in pools of blood.
Speaking in a telephone interview, Mr. James Ode said the attackers arrived in large numbers, vandalised the major transformer junction supplying electricity to the area, and carried out the killings.
“When we heard the gunshots, we knew the extremists were at it again. People started running that night with women and children into unknown destinations,” he said.
“As I am talking to you, many are still in the bush. This is the third time such an unprovoked attack by Fulani terrorists has happened in Otobi Akpa. The first one was last year, 2025, when 14 people were murdered in cold blood in their fatherland unprovoked,” Ode added.
Another resident and youth leader, Mr. Egaji Ejembi, described the assault as a calculated attempt to intimidate the community and force the acceptance of open grazing, which is prohibited under Benue State law.
Ejembi appealed to the international community for intervention, alleging that the Nigerian government lacks the political will to stop what he described as the ongoing genocide against Christians in parts of Benue State.
“Otobi Akpa community is one hundred percent a Christian settlement. We are not at war with any of our neighbouring communities, so what else could propel any reasonable person to invade a peaceful community like Otobi and kill people, if not Islamic extremists who are out to unleash terror with the aim of wiping out the community in order to occupy our land?” he asked.
As of the time of filing this report, the bodies of those killed had been deposited at the Federal University of Medical Sciences, Otukpo.
What you should know
Benue State has experienced repeated attacks on rural communities in recent years, often linked to disputes over land use, grazing rights, and security breakdowns.
The state has an anti-open grazing law intended to curb violence between farmers and herders, but enforcement has remained a challenge. Otobi Akpa, like many communities in the area, has previously suffered deadly attacks that forced residents to flee their homes.
Civil society groups and local leaders have continued to call for stronger security presence, accountability, and lasting solutions to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further loss of lives.
