At least two people have been confirmed dead following a renewed attack on Akpete community in Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State by suspected armed herdsmen.
The attack, which occurred on Friday evening, left several residents injured, while many others were reported missing as fear and confusion gripped the community.
A resident of Akpete revealed that the assailants first invaded the village around noon but were resisted by local youths, forcing them to withdraw temporarily.
“They came around 12 noon but our youths stood up to them. Unfortunately, they returned around 6pm in much larger numbers and began moving from house to house looking for people to attack. By then, most residents had fled,” the source said.
According to the source, the attackers killed a man who had briefly returned to his home to retrieve personal belongings and also set his motorcycle on fire. Another resident was reportedly killed nearby during the renewed onslaught.
The victims were identified as Matthew Ochanga and Isaac Adanu. Several others sustained serious injuries.
“The truth is that we are tired of these attacks. Many of our villages have been deserted. They want to take over our ancestral land. Our people can no longer go to their farms to produce food, and we have become helpless.”
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command confirmed receiving a situation report on an attempted attack by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen on Edikwu Icho, also in Apa LGA, but stated that the assault was successfully repelled.
In a statement signed by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, the police said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) responded swiftly and restored calm to the area.
“The attack was repelled through the efforts of operatives of the Benue State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad. The general security situation in Apa Local Government Area remains calm,” the statement said.
The Command further disclosed that reconstruction work was ongoing on the bridge linking Ugbokpo, Idogbu, Ochumeku and Ikobi communities, which had earlier been destroyed by suspected herdsmen. According to the police, the project “is being carried out under heavy security presence.”
In a related development, the Police Command revealed that its operatives intercepted a suspected arms courier in Ukum LGA on the same Friday.
DSP Edet said the suspect, identified as Saamoga, also known as Aleki, was arrested at the Tse Dubem area following credible intelligence that he was transporting live ammunition on a commercial motorcycle from Gbagir to Zaki-Biam.
“A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of 117 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed inside socks within his handbag,” the statement noted, adding that charms and a mobile phone were also recovered.
The suspect reportedly sustained a gunshot wound while attempting to escape arrest and later died while receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Zaki-Biam.
She disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated the ammunition was being transported to Taraba State.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, commended officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to proactive, intelligence-driven policing across the state.
He also urged members of the public to remain calm and continue to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to support crime prevention and detection efforts.