At least nine people, including a police officer, have been confirmed dead following a series of coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to local sources, the assailants launched attacks on multiple communities bordering Kogi State, including Okwutanobe, Okpokpolo, Olegagbani, and Ikpele, beginning last Friday and continuing through to Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists, a resident recounted the sequence of the assaults:
“The attacks started last Friday at Okwutanobe, where two people were killed. On Saturday, they struck again in Okpokpolo and took another life.
On Monday, they attacked Olegagbani, killing one person, and today (Tuesday), they stormed Ikpele, where they killed a police officer along with four others. People are now fleeing their homes.”
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin Ejeh, said four people were killed in the earlier attacks on Okwutanobe, Okpokpolo, and Olegagbani, while five more, including a police officer, were killed during the Tuesday assault on Ikpele.
Ejeh condemned the violence and suggested it may be a reprisal attack over allegations of cattle rustling in the area.
“We believe these attacks are retaliatory. There have been recent reports of cattle rustling in some Agatu communities, and it appears the herders are taking matters into their own hands instead of allowing security agencies to investigate,” he said.
“We’re appealing for calm and asking them to give the government time to look into the situation.”
Despite the efforts of security personnel, Ejeh noted that the difficult terrain in Agatu significantly hampers rapid response.
“The roads here are in terrible condition. Even when our security forces receive distress calls, it can take them up to four hours to reach some of these remote areas. By the time they get there, the attackers have often already left.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Police Command’s spokesperson, Udeme Edet, had yet to confirm the incident.
