Benue massacre continues as suspected herdsmen kill nine in Apa, Agatu

At least nine persons have lost their lives in attacks by armed suspected herdsmen on villages across two local government areas of Benue State.

Residents said these incidents occurred on Thursday and Friday in the neighboring LGAs of Apa and Agatu.

In Agatu, villagers stated that five individuals lost their lives, while in Apa, four fell victim to the armed invaders.

An anonymous local resident shared, “On March 1, 2024, the attackers claimed the life of one person in Edikwu Icho village following the assault on Ikobi. Additionally, on the same day, they took the lives of two individuals in Akpanta village of Apa LGA and one person in Ugbobi, also within Apa LGA, totaling four lives lost.”

Chairman of the Apa Development Association, Barrister Eche Akpoko, expressed concern that the casualty count might be higher due to missing persons.

Akpoko told newsmen in Makurdi on Saturday that the attacks occurred simultaneously around 11 am on Friday.

He noted that the precise number of casualties could not yet be confirmed until search teams completed their investigations.

Likewise, a traditional leader in Agatu, Chief James Edoh of Och’Adogoji, confirmed the deaths of five individuals in his territory during an attack on Alokpa village around 5 pm on Thursday.

Chief Edoh stated that the incident was promptly reported to all security agencies operating in the area, including the police.

Godwin Edoh, a member representing the Agatu constituency in the State House of Assembly, also verified the deaths of five individuals, revealing that the attacks occurred on both Wednesday and Thursday in Alokpa.

Edoh reported, “Between the 28th and 29th of February, there were attacks on Alokpa resulting in the loss of five lives.”

He added, “There was a tense situation in Obagaji when women and children were seen running after hearing gunshots from Alokpa, a neighboring village. However, Obagaji itself was not directly attacked.”

Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, for comments on the incident were unsuccessful as she did not respond to our correspondent’s calls.