Tragedy as Suspected Herdsmen Kill 16 in Benue Fresh Attacks
- Suspected armed herders stormed Nobi community in Otukpo LGA, Benue State, killing at least 16 residents in an early morning attack
- Angry youths and women took to the streets of Otukpo, blocking the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo roads to protest the killings
- Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the attack as a barbaric assault and directed all security agencies to intensify surveillance across affected communities
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Otukpo, Benue State - Suspected armed herders have killed at least 16 people in the Nobi community of Otukpo Local Government Area in Benue State.
The tragic incident triggered street protests that blocked major roads into the ancient town on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Source: Twitter
As reported by The Punch, a local resident, Comfort Inalegwu, in a telephone interview, said that the attackers opened fire on the community between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., forcing residents to flee their homes.
"At least 16 people were killed this morning during the attack. I lost my sister and two of her children in the attack. The Fulani entered her house and shot them. Their corpses are now at the morgue of Otukpo General Hospital."
Inalegwu added that several people sustained injuries and that several community members remained unaccounted for at the time she spoke with the correspondent.
According to Daily Trust, the attackers reportedly struck Akpachi village in the Ugboju community on Saturday evening, killing two farmers.
The suspected herdsmen later launched another attack on Otukpo-Nobi in the early hours of Sunday, where eight other residents, mostly women and children, were killed.
Protesters shut down Otukpo roads
Furious over the bloodshed, youths and women from the community marched through major streets in Otukpo, including the forecourt of the Och'Idoma's palace, to register their anger.
By the time this report was filed, demonstrators had sealed all entry points into the town, including the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo roads.
Inalegwu warned that women would sustain the protest and actively work to prevent elections from holding in the area if the government failed to put a stop to the recurring killings in Idoma land.
Governor Alia condemns herdsmen's attack
Governor Hyacinth Alia described the violence as "not only a breach of peace, but also a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State."
A statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, said the assailants invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. while residents were asleep.
Alia said he shared in the grief of the people of Otukpo and the wider Benue South Senatorial District.
"Your lives are precious, and I can assure you that your ancestral lands will not be surrendered to fear."
He directed security agencies to coordinate with counterparts in neighbouring states and step up patrols across vulnerable communities and border areas.
He also called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible and urged residents to share credible intelligence with security forces.
Source: Original
Gunmen kill Miyetti Allah chairman, one other
Recall that gunmen killed the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) chairman, Ardo Muhammad, and his companion in Benue State.
The tragic incident has sparked tension among residents in Otukpo and neighbouring communities in Benue State.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said the state command has launched an investigation into the ambush attack.
Bandits kill former SSG of Benue
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that suspected bandits attacked former Benue State SSG, David Salifu, along the Wukari-Makurdi road.
The assailants ordered Salifu out of his vehicle and shot him after he resisted their instructions.
Salifu died in the early hours of Friday, July 3, 2026, at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi.
Source: Legit.ng
