Benue State was once again thrown into mourning on Sunday following a brutal wave of coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders on two separate communities in Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas (LGAs), which left at least 43 people dead and many others injured.
The latest assault, which occurred barely a week after similar violence in Gwer West, has further deepened the fears of residents and heightened calls for urgent government intervention to address the worsening security crisis in the region.
According to local sources and officials, the attackers struck around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, storming Tse Antswam, a suburb of Naka town in Gwer West, and Edikwu Ankpali in Apa LGA, opening fire on unsuspecting residents and causing widespread panic and carnage.
In Gwer West, witnesses described scenes of horror as the gunmen launched a surprise attack, shooting sporadically and forcing villagers to flee into the surrounding bush for safety. The Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse, the traditional ruler of the area, confirmed the attack in a phone interview. He described it as a guerrilla-style assault, noting that the attackers caught the community off guard.
“The way some people were butchered, I doubt if they will survive. Some residents ran into the bush with gunshot wounds, and others even jumped into wells to escape the herdsmen,” Chief Abomtse said.
Fresh Tragedy in Benue: Suspected Armed Herders Kill 43 in Gwer West and Apa Attacks
The monarch added that the village targeted in the attack lies directly opposite a military checkpoint along the Naka-Makurdi Road, raising further concerns about the effectiveness of local security arrangements.
The Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Victor Ormini, also confirmed the attack and expressed frustration over the continuing violence in the area. “It is exactly one week today since I spoke about the killing of over 40 people, including a mobile police officer, in Aondona and other nearby communities. Now, we are dealing with another tragedy,” Ormini lamented. “As of now, over 14 corpses have been recovered in Naka.”
Meanwhile, in the neighboring Apa LGA, a similar attack unfolded around the same time. A resident identified as Tony told reporters that suspected armed herders invaded Edikwu Ankpali community on Sunday evening, unleashing terror on villagers. He reported that by Monday morning, at least 18 bodies had been recovered, with more residents still unaccounted for and several others critically injured.
“Over 25 people were killed in Edikwu Ankpali. The corpses are being prepared for burial,” Tony said during a phone call with our correspondent.
The Chairman of Apa LGA, Adams Ocheiga, confirmed the attack and said he was en route to the affected community for an on-the-spot assessment. He promised to provide more detailed information once he completed his visit.
The Benue State Police Command also acknowledged the incident through its spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Udeme Edet. While confirming the attacks on both Gwer West and Apa LGAs, DSP Edet did not immediately provide a casualty figure but assured that tactical units had been deployed to the affected areas to restore order.
“This is to confirm that there was an attack yesterday at Naka and Apa. Tactical teams have been deployed and are already on the ground to manage the situation. I will get back to you with more accurate information soon,” DSP Edet said.
Sunday’s attacks have further intensified fears among Benue residents, many of whom are already displaced by similar violent incidents in recent months. With many villages now deserted and people taking refuge in neighboring towns or camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), pressure is mounting on both the federal and state governments to take more decisive steps to curb the persistent farmer-herder conflict in the region.
Human rights advocates and community leaders have long accused authorities of failing to act decisively against the increasing wave of violence in Benue and other Middle Belt states. The latest tragedy, coming so soon after previous bloodshed, has left the communities of Gwer West and Apa grieving yet again—and wondering when lasting peace will return to their lands.
