Suspected armed herders kill three in fresh Benue attacks

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At least three people were reportedly killed and two others injured in renewed attacks by suspected armed herders on Elulu and Agadagba communities in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State.

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Our correspondent learnt that the attacks occurred separately between Friday and Saturday night when the suspected armed herders invaded the communities.

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A resident of Agadagba, who identified himself simply as Ameh, told journalists in a telephone interview on Sunday that the attackers stormed the village on Saturday night after attacking Elulu community on Friday.

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Ameh said, “The Fulani herdsmen attacked our community (Agadagba) yesterday night and attempted to rustle cows. In the process, some youths repelled them.

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“But some of the attackers, who were well armed, shot at the youths and two of them died. It was later we learnt that the same Fulani herdsmen had, a day earlier, invaded Elulu village where they killed one person.”

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When contacted by phone on Sunday, the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, Gabriel Adole, confirmed the two incidents.

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According to the chairman, the attackers invaded Elulu and Agadagba communities between Friday and Saturday night.

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Adole said, “It is not only in Agadagba community that the armed herders killed people. They first attacked Elulu village a day before yesterday (Friday), killed somebody, attacked another person and collected his Bajaj motorcycle.

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“They also went to Agadagba village that same day to rustle cows, but the people repelled them. So, they shot one person in the leg. They could not rustle the cows. Yesterday, being Saturday, they went there again and killed two persons in Agadagba.

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“As I am talking to you, I am preparing to go to the communities to commiserate with them. So far, three lives were lost in the attacks. They injured two persons — the one whose motorcycle they took and the one they attacked while attempting to rustle his cows. Both of them are still in hospital receiving treatment.”

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The chairman disclosed that local security personnel, in collaboration with the police, had been deployed to the affected communities to prevent further attacks.

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He, however, said normalcy was gradually returning to the affected communities following the deployment of security personnel.

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Ohimini Local Government Area has witnessed repeated attacks in recent weeks, which some residents have linked to the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Risku Mohammed, on June 24, 2026.

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Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached for comment, as calls to her phone were not answered.

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