Fresh Benue attack leaves one dead despite governor’s visit

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Barely a few days after suspected armed herders launched deadly attacks on Akpachi in Ugboju and Otukpo Nobi communities, leaving 16 people dead, another assault has claimed one life in Ondo, also within the Ugboju district of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The latest attack reportedly occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, coincidentally on the same day Governor Hyacinth Alia visited the local government area to condole with residents over the previous killings.

Sources indicated that some hoodlums attempted to exploit the fragile security situation to trigger a wider crisis.

The Caretaker Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack and the death of a local indigene during a telephone interview with journalists.

However, Ogiri dismissed rumors of a widespread crisis in the locality, emphasizing that a combined team of security agencies acted swiftly to repel the attackers and restore calm.

“There is a crisis in Ondo, but it is not too much.

“It was repelled after the loss of an indigene. The combined security [agencies] are combing the forest in search of the bandits.

“The situation is calm. When they saw that security agencies were responding with immediate effect, there is a lot of calm now,” the council boss stated.

Efforts to secure an official statement from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, did not answer phone calls or respond to text messages sent to her mobile line.