A late-night attack by suspected herdsmen on Friday has claimed the life of a security guard at the Otobi Dam in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, sparking renewed concerns over escalating insecurity in the region.
The lawmaker representing Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Angbo Kennedy, confirmed the incident and decried the rising wave of violence in the area.
“This is becoming too much,” Kennedy said in a statement on Friday night. “A guard was killed this evening at the Otobi Dam by herdsmen. Please let’s watch out for each other. We must resort to self-help.”
The identity of the deceased has yet to be officially released, and as of the time of filing this report, no arrests had been made. Residents fear the situation could worsen if proactive steps are not taken by relevant authorities.
The Otobi Dam, a key water infrastructure project in Otukpo, has now become a target in what appears to be a series of coordinated attacks across rural areas of the local government. This latest killing adds to the growing list of violent incidents that have rocked Otukpo and surrounding communities in recent months.
Earlier this year, attacks in Okpomaju, Okete, and Asa settlements claimed multiple lives and left scores displaced. Just yesterday, gunmen hijacked a Benue Links bus loaded with passengers, killing two people and abducting 13 others—an incident that further highlights the deteriorating security climate in the state.
Local residents are now calling on the Benue State Government and federal security agencies to step up surveillance and deploy personnel to rural flashpoints, particularly around critical infrastructure like the Otobi Dam.
“We are not safe anywhere—not in our homes, on the road, or even at our places of work,” one resident said. “The government must take this seriously and protect our people.”
Community leaders and civil society groups have also urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to convene a high-level security summit to address the growing wave of violence and explore community-based defense strategies in collaboration with security forces.
As tensions rise, many fear that unless urgent action is taken, the Otukpo axis may descend into full-blown crisis.
