Benue Market Massacre Leaves 17 Dead in Coordinated Herdsmen Attack
In a devastating assault that has sent shockwaves through Benue State, at least seventeen people have been confirmed dead following a brutal attack by suspected herdsmen at the Abande rural market. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, claimed the lives of both civilians and security personnel, including a Mobile Police officer who served as the unit commander on duty.
Market Day Turned Bloodbath
The attack unfolded during the bustling Abande market day, when residents from surrounding communities had gathered to buy and sell goods. According to eyewitness accounts and local officials, armed assailants opened fire indiscriminately on traders and visitors, creating chaos and panic throughout the marketplace. The violence resulted in immediate fatalities, with several victims killed on the spot as they attempted to flee the onslaught.
Extensive Damage and Looting
Beyond the tragic loss of life, the attackers engaged in systematic looting and destruction. Shops were thoroughly ransacked, with traders reporting that cash and goods worth more than N150 million were stolen during the rampage. In a final act of devastation, the entire market was set ablaze, destroying whatever remained after the looting spree. This comprehensive destruction has left the local economy in ruins and displaced numerous traders who depended on the market for their livelihood.
Victims and Response Efforts
Among those confirmed dead in the attack are:
- Iornunbe Agba
- Chia Kile
- Terseer Shenge
- Mker Ugbe
- Emmanuel Agba Ortswen
- Gbinde
- A Mobile Police officer (unit commander)
By late Tuesday evening, personnel from the Mobile Police Force had evacuated bodies of some victims to Jato-Aka. However, several residents remain missing as search operations continue in the aftermath of the violence.
Official Confirmation and Security Deployment
The Benue State Police Command, through spokesperson DSP Udeme Edet, has confirmed four civilian deaths in addition to the police officer killed during the attack. According to official reports, the Divisional Police Officer in Jato-Aka received a distress call at approximately 5:30pm indicating that suspected armed herder bandits in large numbers had attacked both police personnel and community members at Abande.
In response to the crisis, Commissioner of Police CP Ifeanyi Emenari has directed immediate reinforcement of security in the area. The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations has been dispatched to Jato-Aka with additional Mobile Force personnel and Armoured Personnel Carriers to coordinate intensive operations aimed at tracking the perpetrators and preventing further violence.
Pattern of Violence and Community Fears
This latest attack has heightened existing fears among residents of Turan district and neighboring communities, who describe worsening insecurity in the border region. The Abande community lies close to Anwase, where more than 28 people were killed during Christmas Day attacks in 2024, indicating a troubling pattern of violence in the area.
Local residents have further alleged that since the beginning of the year, repeated attacks in Kwande Local Government Area have claimed more than 76 lives, including security personnel. Many attribute the vulnerability of these border communities to the limited visible presence of Nigerian security forces along the Nigeria-Cameroon border where Abande and surrounding settlements are located.
Combined teams of police operatives and other security agencies have now been mobilized to secure the community, conduct thorough searches, and forestall further breakdown of law and order. The deceased have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary as investigations continue into this tragic incident that has once again highlighted the security challenges facing rural communities in Benue State.
