Panic in Benue as herdsmen kill three, abduct passengers, sack police checkpoint in Otukpo attacks

By Benedicta Aboh

Suspected armed herdsmen have reportedly killed three persons, injured several others and abducted some passengers in coordinated attacks on two communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attacks, which occurred Friday evening at Akpamaju community and Ojano along the Otukpo-Enugu Road, left residents in fear as security operatives battled to contain the situation.

Local sources said the first incident occurred at Akpamaju where two farmers were killed while working on a farmland with a tractor.

A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said one of the deceased had travelled from Gboko to operate the tractor for the farm owner.

“It was two separate attacks carried out within a short period,” the source said.
“The first happened at Akpamaju community in Otukpo on Friday evening.

Two men were on the farm when armed herdsmen attacked them and killed them.
“One of the victims came from Gboko to work on the farm for the owner who was also killed. Fortunately, one young man escaped from the scene and later narrated what happened.”

The victims were identified as Friday Omoha from Ogbadibo Local Government Area and Francis Liambee from Guma Local Government Area.

Their bodies were recovered and deposited at the mortuary of the University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo.
Barely an hour later, another attack was launched at Ojano where the gunmen reportedly invaded a police checkpoint on the busy highway.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers emerged from nearby bushes and opened fire, killing a young man who usually assisted police officers in controlling the checkpoint barricade.

“The young man was shot dead instantly while the policemen on duty fled,” the source said.

“The attackers also opened fire on a TMT commercial bus, abducted some passengers and injured others. Some passengers managed to escape and ran back towards Otukpo.”

Sources said the injured victims were taken to hospital for treatment while the attacked vehicle was moved to the Otukpo Police Station.

Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attacks, saying security agencies responded immediately after receiving distress calls.
“On Friday at about 5pm, we got a distress call from Ukpamaju village over a herdsmen attack,” Ogiri said.

“We moved to the area with police operatives and found that two men working with a tractor on a farm had been killed by the attackers.

“One of the survivors informed us that the attackers were about 15 in number and carried AK-47 rifles.”

Ogiri explained that another emergency call was received later in the night concerning the attack along the Enugu Road.

“After leaving the mortuary around 10pm, another distress call came from Ojano that attackers had blocked the highway,” he said.

“We mobilised with Operation Whirl Stroke personnel and engaged the attackers in a gun battle. They had already attacked a TMT mass transit bus and other vehicles.
“We rescued three injured passengers and rushed them to hospital, but sadly one of them later died.”

The council chairman said initial findings indicated that the same gang may have carried out both attacks.

As of press time, the Benue State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incidents, as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, were not answered.