Emotions run high in Benue as mourners lay 16 Otukpo massacre victims to rest

Sorrow overwhelmed the Efeyi community in Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, as 16 victims were laid to rest in a mass burial on Saturday, with mourners overcome by grief and tears, as reported by Peter Duru, Makurdi.

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The community was thrown into chaos when suspected armed herdsmen attacked in the early hours of July 28, killing 16 people and forcing many residents to flee for their lives, with the incident occurring between 4am and 5am.

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The attack has sparked concerns over the security situation in the area, coming just months after a similar deadly incident in the same district, which claimed several lives and left residents on edge.

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A somber atmosphere pervaded the mass burial ceremony, where family members, community leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures gathered to pay their respects to the victims, with mourners struggling to hold back tears.

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Resident Aboyi Owi, who attended the funeral, described the ceremony as a heartbreaking moment in the community's history, saying the atmosphere was filled with sorrow, tears, and anger over the avoidable loss of life.

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Owi expressed frustration over the government's inaction, stating that the activities of armed herdsmen would continue to torment Nigerians unless genuine action was taken, and that the mass killing of innocent people would persist.

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The ceremony was marked by prayers led by a Catholic priest, who offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased, followed by moments of silence in honour of the victims.

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The coffins of the victims were lowered into the graves amid wailing from bereaved relatives and sympathisers, as the community came to terms with the loss of life and the trauma inflicted by the attack.