At least four residents of an Otukpo community in Benue State have been killed and others reported missing after an attack by suspected herdsmen. Local authorities and community leaders said, raising fresh concerns about rural insecurity and recurrent violence in central Nigeria. Witnesses reported that assailants stormed the community on January 13, opening fire on villagers and destroying property before fleeing into nearby bushland.
The injured have been taken to hospitals in Otukpo and nearby towns, according to local health sources, while families of the missing have launched searches amid fears they were abducted or are hiding from violence. Community members condemned the attack, urging rapid response from law enforcement and military units to forestall further bloodshed and ensure the protection of civilians.
Benue State officials have been contacted for comment, and residents stressed the need for intensified security patrols along rural routes frequently targeted by armed groups. The incident adds to a series of clashes and deadly raids in the central region, where disputes over land use, grazing rights and communal tensions have periodically spilled into violence.
