News

May 22, 2025

Two soldiers, two others killed in another herders’ attack on Benue community

herdsmen

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Two soldiers and two others have reportedly been murdered in Ikobi community, Apa Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state in a fresh attack in that axis of the state by suspected armed herdsmen.

It was gathered that the armed herders who launched the attack on the community Wednesday afternoon at about 3:30 pm shot and killed the two soldiers stationed in the area and took away their arms, after which they shot sporadically,y leaving two more persons dead and some others injured.

Confirming the development, the Chairman of Apa LGA, Adam Ogwola said he received a call from the area informing him of the attack

According to him: “I received a call at about 3:30pm Wednesday that there was an attack in Ikobi community by armed herdsmen, and when I called some people in the area there was no response from them.

“I later heard that two soldiers were killed. So this (Thursday) morning, they discovered the bodies of the two civilians.

“And because of the culture of our people, you do not normally keep such dead bodies in the mortuary. Since we are in the period of hit and run by herders, when it happens we may not allow the corpse to stay beyond 24 hours.

“So, they have been buried while the bodies of the late soldiers have been moved from that community but I do not know whether they are in the mortuary in Ugbokpo or in Makurdi.”

The Chairman who disclosed that calm had returned to the community confirmed that “more soldiers and police have moved there to ensure that normalcy returns to that community.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent, CSP, Catherine Anene and the acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 401 Special Forces Brigade/Sector 1, Operations Whirl Stroke, OPWS, Makurdi, Captain Abdullahi Osabo could not be reach at press time.