Massacre In Benue: Herdsmen Slaughter Dozens As Soldiers Stand DownThe relentless wave of attacks by armed herdsmen across communities in Benue State has plunged the region into mourning, with survivors accusing security agencies of gross negligence. As the death toll continues to rise, devastated residents recount the scale of loss in both human lives and property.
From Agatu to Gwer West, Katsina-Ala to Kwande, the bloodshed has been widespread and brutal. Men, women, and children — including infants and nursing mothers — have all fallen victim to what many are now calling targeted massacres. The herders, reportedly armed to the teeth, have stormed village after village with chilling precision, leaving trails of death and destruction in their wake.
In recent weeks, Benue has become a land of sorrow, its communities overwhelmed by grief and disbelief. Despite hosting three major military formations — including the 72 Special Forces Brigade and the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering in Makurdi — the state has remained vulnerable to attack.
Shock turned to outrage when, just days ago, gunmen struck Agan community in Makurdi — barely three kilometers from the state capital. Residents say three youths were executed in cold blood, right under the noses of nearby military installations. Survivors claim distress calls were made to military outposts during the attack, but no help arrived until the assailants had vanished.
One resident, Mr. Peter Johnson, who lost family members in the Edikwu Ankpali massacre, described how the attackers came in like a military unit, gunning down villagers and going house-to-house, killing those who couldn’t flee. “The most painful part,” he said, “was how the military nearby ignored our cries for help.”
Youth leader Mohammed Sedu painted an equally grim picture from Apa LGA. “It was like war,” he said. “Bodies — women and children included — littered the streets. And yet, those assigned to protect us did nothing. They must be redeployed.”
In Gwer West, Local Government Chairman Victor Ormin, visibly emotional, said he had buried dozens in just a few days. Among the victims: a two-year-old child. “This is genocide,” he declared, revealing that soldiers claimed they were under strict orders not to engage the attackers unless commanded from the top.
His frustration echoed across the region. A respected royal figure, HRH Daniel Abomtse, said his people had been displaced over the past 15 years, their lands overtaken. He recounted how attackers struck villages mere meters from military outposts, yet the forces failed to respond.
Abomtse emphasized the strategic importance of the Naka-Makurdi road — now a stronghold for marauders. He called for fortified military posts along critical points and immediate orders empowering soldiers to confront the attackers.
While the calls for action grow louder, the killings continue. Displacement spreads. And in Nigeria’s food basket, the blood of innocents keeps flowing — while the institutions meant to protect them remain tragically silent.
