On Wednesday, in Benue State, 46 mourners, including the son of the chairman of the Otukpo Local Government Council, were killed by suspected armed herdsmen.
During their assault on Umogidi village in the state’s Enetekpa Adoka district’s Otukpo LGA, gunmen killed several people.
Since a number of people are still missing and cannot be located, it was determined that the number of casualties could be much higher.
The earlier attack on the same community killed the three people whose bodies the community had just buried when armed herders stormed the community for the second time in less than 12 hours. The attack came after the earlier one.
Mr. Bako Eje, the Chairman of Otupko LGA and a native of the village whose son was killed in the attack, fought back tears as he confirmed the bloody incident.
Mr. Eje claims, “We went to the village to see the situation and also bury the dead after the earlier attack that claimed the lives of three people.”
“At approximately 4:15 p.m., shortly after the burial, the herdsmen returned to the village and murdered 46 people, including my 33-year-old son.
They also killed my immediate younger sister’s husband and her 38-year-old son. I am still in the village, but several other people are still missing, and we do not know where they are.
Col., Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Issues, responded: The incident was condemned by Paul Hemba (ret.), who described it as tragic and painful.
Col. “I can confirm to you that there was an attack in Umogidi, and as of this morning the causality figure from those who were seen physically from what I was told is 46,” Hemba stated.
However, because some people are still reported missing, the number may rise even higher. To assist, soldiers and police have been sent there. At the moment, things are calm.
“The chairman of the local government is from that community, and sadly, he also lost his 33-year-old son. The incident is extremely tragic and painful.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene, issued a brief statement to confirm the development, stating that “eight corpses have been recovered, including a Police officer.” To prevent a further breakdown of law and order, additional police teams have been sent to the area.
In the meantime, Ochi’Idoma HRM Dr. John Odogbo, the Idoma tribe’s Paramount Ruler, has called a meeting of Idoma sons and daughters to discuss the growing attacks by herders in the Idoma-speaking Benue South District.
The monarch wrote in the invitation letter, “We must rise to the occasion by taking our destiny in our hands since there is a visible failure on the government’s part to protect our lives and property,” pointing out that the government had failed to protect the people’s lives and property in the face of the constant attacks.
In addition, the monarch stated in the invitation letter that “the Idoma nation in the last few months has been invaded by an influx of ravaging marauders, who are going about killing our people in their homes and farms with a demonstrated intention to sack our people out of their ancestral motherlands.” This information was included in the invitation.
“As of the present time, the communities of Agatu, Apa, Ohimini, and Otukpo have been destroyed, and our wives, mothers, and sisters have experienced this in terrible ways.
Our ancestors and young men have perished in the most horrific ways. These invading herdsmen evicted a beaded chief of our gracious kingdom from among us just yesterday.
“These individuals find taken our harmony and killed our rest, yet our soul should stay unsubdued!
“This planned attack is happening pretty much everywhere in Benue state, but unabated. The way things are, it is possible that we go to the mountain or the mountain comes to us.”
