Insecurity: Herdsmen kill 144 in Plateau, Benue in 14 days

At least 144 people have been killed by suspected herdsmen in Plateau and Benue States over the past two weeks, with the violence continuing late Tuesday as another 13 were reported dead and scores injured, while more than 50 houses were set ablaze.
During this period, 104 individuals lost their lives in Plateau State—52 in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) and another 52 in Bokkos LGA. In Benue State, at least 40 people were killed in multiple attacks.
On April 3, three people were killed in an ambush on a Benue Links bus in Ikobi community, Otukpo LGA. A week later, on April 10, two farmers were murdered in Gwer West LGA, and three others were killed in Mbasombo community, Gwer East LGA. The most recent attack on Otobi Akpa, located along the boundary with Nasarawa State, claimed the lives of at least 13 people, with many still missing.
Meanwhile, in Adamawa State, Boko Haram insurgents launched an attack on Hong LGA communities on Tuesday, killing seven people, with several others unaccounted for.
In response to the growing violence, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang announced new security measures on Wednesday, including a ban on night grazing, a prohibition on transporting cattle by vehicle after 7:00 p.m., and a restriction on motorcycle movement from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., all aimed at curbing the activities of the attackers.
The attack on Otobi Akpa community started at about 6:00pm from the popular Otobi junction when over 20 armed herdsmen in a commando style, shot sporadically at anybody they sighted.
They also set ablaze no fewer than 50 houses.
Unfortunately most the of vigilantes who could have stopped them from entering the main town to perpetrate their mission, had moved to Adim village of Akpa to attend a burial.
The terrifying sounds of gunshots created palpable fear as many took to their heels, while others who were curious to know what was happening ran into the herdsmen who opened fire on them, killing at least 13 persons in the process, while many escaped with gunshot wounds.
Some other victims were butchered with cutlasses, with their brains scattered around the scenes they were killed.
Investigation revealed that the killer herdsmen invaded Otobi Akpa and other Akpa communities to resist the law against open grazing which stopped them from grazing their cattle in the area.
An elder of the community, Adikwu Ogbe, expressed deep sorrow over the recent attack, recalling that Otobi Akpa was once among the most peaceful communities in Idoma land. He noted that the community had previously coexisted peacefully with Fulani herders, until tensions escalated and the herders began carrying sophisticated weapons and issuing threats to locals.
About three weeks ago, tensions flared further when a security guard at the Otukpo dam was shot and dismembered during a night raid by herdsmen who stormed Otobi village, firing indiscriminately.
As of the time of this report, many residents were seen fleeing the community, with frantic searches ongoing for those still missing. Disturbingly, there was no visible security presence in the affected areas.
Benue State Deputy Governor, Samuel Ode, visited the devastated community on Wednesday, accompanied by heavily armed security personnel. He met with displaced residents now seeking refuge at the Federal Government College, Otobi, where he offered words of comfort and urged them to remain calm. He assured them that steps were being taken to prevent further attacks by the armed herders.
Meanwhile, Otobi Akpa has effectively turned into a ghost town, with nearly all residents abandoning their homes out of fear of another assault.