At least 15 people have been killed in fresh attacks by armed herdsmen on Ugboju communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, with locals and officials confirming the toll could rise further as recovery efforts and searches continue.
Attack on Efeyi-Ugboju Lasts Over Four Hours
Residents said the violence began at around 5am on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, when gunmen descended on the Efeyi-Ugboju community. The attack lasted until past 9am, according to a local resident who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The attack started around 5am and continued till past 9am. Fourteen people were killed mercilessly in Efeyi-Ugboju,” the resident said. Another person was killed in a separate attack at Ipom-Ugboju on Monday morning.
By 11:30am, 14 bodies had been recovered from Efeyi alone. Locals warned that the number could increase as rescue teams were still searching for missing persons and some victims with serious injuries had been rushed to hospital.
Otukpo Chairman Condemns Killings, Demands Action
Maxwell Ogiri, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, confirmed that 14 bodies had so far been retrieved from Efeyi-Ugboju and that several other residents sustained injuries. Ogiri rejected any suggestion of provocation, stating, “There was no provocation. They came only to shed blood and kill our people. Fourteen dead bodies have been recovered, while many others were wounded. The people are living in fear, and there is great apprehension. Residents of neighbouring communities are already fleeing for safety.”
Ogiri questioned the effectiveness of security deployments in the area, noting that military personnel, police, Mobile Police, and Agro-Rangers were all stationed in the region yet failed to prevent the killings. “I do not know whether the security personnel on the ground are not enough. There should be a deliberate effort by the government to enforce the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law because everything is tied to it,” he said.
Police Yet to Confirm Details
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the incident when contacted.
Benue’s Cycle of Violence
Benue State has experienced repeated cycles of violence linked to clashes between farming communities and armed herdsmen. This latest attack follows a similar incident earlier in the month in which suspected armed herders stormed Nobi community in Otukpo LGA, killing at least 16 residents in an early morning attack. In protest, angry youths and women blocked the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo roads. Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned that assault as barbaric and directed security agencies to intensify surveillance.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident on Sunday, July 19, gunmen ambushed a group of herdsmen near Tanjol community in Riyom LGA of Plateau State, killing three and injuring two. MACBAN identified the deceased herders and accused the Berom ethnic group of carrying out the attack. The Berom Youth Moulders-Association denied the allegation, claiming the victims were attackers repelled by local vigilantes.
