Tragedy struck the Ikobi-Ochekwu community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State late Wednesday night as suspected herdsmen launched a brutal attack that left several residents dead, including a soldier who was recently married.
Residents told Hobnob News Nigeria that the attackers stormed the village under the cover of darkness, opening fire indiscriminately and setting several homes ablaze in a siege that lasted for hours.
“The gunshots were everywhere. People were running for their lives. They came when we least expected and destroyed everything,” said a local resident, Ochofie, who narrowly escaped the violence.
By Thursday morning, at least two additional bodies were recovered in the nearby Ijaha area, identified as Sani Ngbede and Aduba Paul Ogboyi. However, many villagers remain unaccounted for, raising fears that the death toll may climb as search and rescue efforts continue.
Among the confirmed dead is a Nigerian soldier, who community members say had only recently tied the knot. His identity, along with those of other victims, is yet to be officially released by authorities.
Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the attack, and efforts to reach local officials for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
The incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in Benue State, which has long been a flashpoint in the conflict between herders and farming communities. Residents have called on the federal government and security forces to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities and bring the perpetrators to justice.
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