Tension has gripped the community of Udei in Nyiev Council Ward, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, following the alleged killing of three youths by soldiers stationed in the area on Sunday morning.
According to a statement issued by Comrade Joseph Apahar Joo, Media and Publicity Officer for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State, the violent incident erupted after a confrontation between local youths and military personnel over a suspected herder linked to recent attacks.
The crisis reportedly began when community youths intercepted a herder riding a motorcycle allegedly belonging to a soldier identified as Mr. Suleiman. Upon questioning, the herder allegedly confessed to being involved in a deadly attack in Yelewata—a nearby village in the same council ward—where several residents were reportedly killed.
According to Hobnob News Nigeria, the youths, incensed by the confession, took the suspect and the motorcycle—reportedly stained with blood—to the local military camp as evidence. The soldier, Mr. Suleiman, allegedly acknowledged ownership of the motorcycle but claimed he had loaned it to the herder to transport a fellow soldier who had suffered a snakebite.
Eyewitnesses say tensions flared when the community demanded that the herder be arrested and held accountable. The soldiers allegedly refused, leading to a heated exchange. The standoff quickly spiraled into violence when the troops reportedly opened fire on the unarmed youths, killing three on the spot.
As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the deceased have not been officially released, but their deaths have sparked widespread outrage and fear within the community. Udei residents remain on edge, with many fearing a retaliatory attack by armed herders in the already volatile region.
“The community is in mourning and also in fear. There’s panic everywhere,” said one local resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “People are fleeing their homes again because we know what usually follows events like this.”
Comrade Apahar condemned the killings in strong terms and called on the Benue State Government and federal authorities to intervene urgently.
“We are calling for an independent investigation and the immediate deployment of a neutral and responsible security outfit to the area,” Apahar said. “These communities have suffered enough. We do not need security agents who will endanger lives instead of protecting them.”
Efforts to reach the Nigerian Army for an official response to the allegations were still ongoing as of press time.
Benue State, often at the heart of Nigeria’s farmer-herder conflicts, has experienced frequent outbreaks of violence in recent years. The latest incident has further inflamed tensions in Guma LGA, a flashpoint in the state’s prolonged security crisis.
Local leaders and civil society groups are now urging swift action to prevent the situation from escalating into wider violence and displacement.
