A family of eight and nine other persons have been reportedly killed in what appeared to be a coordinated attack by armed herdsmen on communities in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State.
Several people also sustained severe injuries, while many have gone missing.
The attack came less than 24 hours after residents of the area raised the alarm over the influx of AK-47-bearing herders who moved freely around the communities, unrestricted.
A source in the area disclosed that the armed herdsmen stormed Tyuluv, Saror, and Mbawar communities Thursday night, “and started shooting indiscriminately into early Friday and killing several persons and injured many.”
“Before the attack, they came to our communities with thousands of cows armed with AK-47 rifles, but no one could talk to them because they were ready to kill anyone.
“As we speak, people are fleeing their homes, and the painful thing is that nowhere is safe anymore because they are almost everywhere.
“Among those they killed in Ukum was a family of eight, including children and women who could not escape before they got to them.
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“From what we heard, the people also attacked neighboring Logo LGA, and this morning, corpses were being moved from the villages to the mortuary at Anyiin. Those killed in the two LGAs were so many.
“From all indications, they want to take over the Sankera axis of Benue State, which is the food basket of the state. It is a dire situation because our people are already preparing to commence the season’s farming, and this is happening. Food is already very expensive in the state, and now this is happening.”
Confirming the development, the Benue State Police Command, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent CSP Catherine Anene, said 17 bodies had been removed from the scenes of the attacks.
Part of the statement read, “On April 17, 2025, at about 9 p.m., information was received that a large number of suspected militia had invaded the Sankera axis of Benue State with the intention to attack communities around Gbagir, Ukum LGA.
“Upon receipt of this report, the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, Mr. Steve Yabanet, ordered tactical teams to move to the area and join forces with police officers on the ground and other security agencies to forestall the attack.
“Following this order, a team of officers moved to the area and engaged them. While the attackers were being repelled in the early hours of today, they shot sporadically at unsuspecting farmers as they came across them.
Five persons were recovered in the Gbagir area and taken to the hospital, where they were confirmed dead.
“Unfortunately, an unsuspected simultaneous attack was carried out in Logo LGA, where 12 persons were killed before the arrival of the police, making a total of 17 persons.
“However, security agencies within the Sankera axis are still engaging the bandits as they retreat back to the forest around the Taraba axis.
“The Police Commissioner warns social media users who are reporting unconfirmed reports and inciting the general public to desist from such actions that are capable of creating unnecessary tension in the state.
“He reiterates his commitment to fight the attackers and encourages the good people of Sankera to continue to cooperate with the police as the operation is ongoing.”
