₦airaland Forum

At least seven persons have been confirmed killed in a sustained two-day attack on Anwuel village, Oglewu District, in the Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected armed herdsmen.

The Chairman of the Ohimini Local Government, Adole Gabriel, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, said the attackers struck on two consecutive days, leaving behind scenes of horror and destruction.

“Two persons were killed yesterday, and the governor has sent his special adviser on security along with troops to contain the attacks," Gabriel said, according to Channels TV.

“We visited the scene at Angwuel, where soldiers of Operation Whirl Stroke had also been stationed, but the herders returned in a gestapo operation on Tuesday evening to attack the community again, killing five additional persons.”

Condemning the renewed violence in the community, Gabriel described the killings as “unprovoked and barbaric,” noting that the once peaceful community had now been deserted.

“Many residents have fled for safety. We have, however, drafted additional security personnel to restore peace and prevent further attacks,” he added.

The killings have sparked widespread outrage on social media, with residents and civil society groups condemning the rising spate of attacks on farming communities in Benue.

Many have called for stronger action from the federal government and international support to end the incessant bloodshed in the North-Central region.

Benue State, referred to as Nigeria’s “Food Basket of the Nation,” has for years been a hotspot in the escalating conflict between armed herdsmen and farming communities.

Thousands of residents have been killed and villages destroyed in recurrent attacks that have ravaged the state for decades.

The violence intensified after the Benue State government enacted the Anti-Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law in 2017 to address farmer-herder clashes.

The law prohibits open grazing and encourages ranching, but its enforcement has led to repeated violent reprisals from armed herders.

Despite the establishment of Operation Whirl Stroke, a joint military task force deployed to the region in 2018, attacks have persisted.
Local government areas such as Guma, Gwer West, Logo, Agatu, and Ohimini have repeatedly come under siege, with hundreds killed in coordinated assaults.

Earlier this year, over 40 persons were reportedly massacred in separate attacks on villages in Agatu and Gwer East LGAs, while scores of others were displaced.

Humanitarian agencies estimate that more than 1.5 million people are currently displaced across Benue as a result of herder-related violence.

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Intersociety, have repeatedly accused the federal government of failing to protect vulnerable farming populations or bring perpetrators to justice.

They warned that the continuing bloodshed risks deepening food insecurity and social instability across Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.

However, as of the time of filing this report, security agencies in the state have not released a statement on the incident.

Abdul05:
must people die every day?

AqualinaXYZ:
Have you ever encountered death one on one before?




If you ever did then you’ll understand

Dogalmighty17:
Until the Nigerian army stops deploying in cities and instead goes into the bushes looking for these killers, it won't stop.

LegendHero:
They need to first declare open grazing unlawful then order Chute on sight on anyone still engaging in it.

Then we need to recruit massive people into the security formation that will be deployed to the forest. They already set one up call the forest guard but we never see their green light.

If the FG is scared or retaliation from the Northern leaders over grazing ban, they should create state police and let each respective state deal with this menace as they prefer.

AqualinaXYZ:
They want to take our oil



Says Yoruba people who doesn’t have a cup of oil




Oil wey south southerners get how does we loosing ur to Trump affect yall



Oh I get it now it’s all about being parasitic

2mch:
Call State of Emergency in Benue and clear all the bandits away. Obviously the Benue Governor does not know what he is doing.

brain54:
Something urgently needs to be done...

To stop these condemnable killings. Don't mean we should be too desperate to accept any solutions that may aggregate the situation.


It is accepting whatever solution that has gotten us here in the first place by putting someone in charge with nothing to offer because we just wanted to get rid of a problem.

And people are about to make same mistakes again. No one can love you more than you love yourself...


It's true we have an irresponsible government but whatever solutions we find to our problems should come from within and not from without.


We must sit down and decide on how to live in peace and unity between ourselves despite our differences. Until then the problems will still remain even if an outsider like Jesus Christ comes along to solve our immediate challenges.


There are decisions in life that no one forces you to make!

Racoon:
Here we are still on the same issue. Yet they said the US government should not interfere or intervene? How long some more?

Jevica:
Oga, wake up. the Nigerian government are complicit.

LegendHero:
When did Fulani herdsmen turn to Islamic bandits again? You go fear headline.

So IPOB terrorists are now Christian terrorists?

LegendHero:
When did Fulani herdsmen turn to Islamic bandits again? You go fear headline.

So IPOB terrorists are now Christian terrorists?