At least 16 people have been killed in a fresh attack on Nobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, following an invasion by suspected armed herders in the early hours of Sunday.
The attackers reportedly stormed the community between 3:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., shooting sporadically while residents were asleep and forcing many to flee for safety.
Several persons were also injured, while an unspecified number of residents were reported missing after the attack.
The killings triggered protests by youths and women, who blocked major roads leading into Otukpo, including the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo highways.
The protesters later marched to the palace of the paramount ruler of the Idoma nation, the Och’Idoma, His Royal Majesty Agabaidu Elaigwu John Odogbo, with corpses of some of the victims to demand urgent intervention from the Benue State Government, the Federal Government and security agencies.
One of the protesters, Comfort Inalegwu, said she lost three family members, including her sister and two children, during the attack.
According to her, the attackers entered her sister’s house and shot them dead, adding that their bodies had been deposited at the morgue of the Otukpo General Hospital.
She said, “Some Fulani herdsmen, between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. today, attacked Nobi community in Otukpo, shooting sporadically, which made residents flee.
“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.”
She added that many victims were still unaccounted for and warned that women in the area would sustain their protest and resist the conduct of elections until decisive action is taken to stop recurring attacks on Idoma communities.
Some protesters were heard lamenting the repeated killings, saying, “How long will this continue? Will a man escape from his own ancestral land? We have lost hope in our politicians.”
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, condemned the attack, describing it as “a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.”
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said the attackers invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, while residents were asleep, killing scores and leaving many others injured.
Alia said the killings were a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of the state.
“These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state,” he said.
The governor sympathised with the victims and assured residents that the government would not allow criminal elements to force communities away from their ancestral lands.
“Your lives are precious, and I can assure you that your ancestral lands will not be surrendered to fear,” he added.
Alia directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols across vulnerable communities, work with neighbouring states and ensure those responsible for the killings are arrested and prosecuted.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible intelligence to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains important in tackling insecurity.
Meanwhile, social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has claimed that some Fulani persons sent him a video clip which he believes may have triggered the latest attack.
VDM alleged that the attack may have been a reprisal over the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Ardo Mohammed, who was killed on June 26, 2026, after attending a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area.
He claimed that the video showed an Idoma social media influencer celebrating the release of some suspects arrested in connection with Mohammed’s killing.
According to him, some reports suggested that more bodies were still being recovered after the attack, with claims that the death toll could be higher than the initial figures.
“I woke up to a very sad news that Fulani attacked a village in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State and they killed a lot of people,” VDM said.
“They have been able to recover about 50 lifeless bodies and it is still counting. It was a revenge for the Miyetti Allah Chairman that was killed about two weeks ago.”
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, and the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The latest attack has heightened tension in Benue South and renewed calls for urgent security action to protect rural communities from recurring killings.
The post “Benue Protesters Storm Och’Idoma Palace With Corpses After Otukpo Killings” — Alia Condemns Attack, Orders Manhunt As VDM Links Violence To Alleged Reprisal appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
