Tragedy has once again struck the Otobi Akpa community in the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, after a violent midnight raid left at least five people dead. Among those killed in the gruesome attack was Mr. Igbabe Ochi, a former councillor and the 2019 PDP House of Assembly candidate for the Otukpo-Akpa constituency.
The assault, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, is believed to have been carried out by suspected armed herdsmen. The attackers stormed the village around 1:30 am, targeting a local provision shop where several residents had gathered. The gunmen reportedly opened fire without warning, killing four men and one woman in a series of related incidents that have left the community in a state of shock and mourning.
Local sources suggest that the attackers were not just on a mission to kill but were also searching for supplies. After the initial shooting, the gunmen looted food items from the shop before fleeing into the nearby forest as local youths began to mobilize for a counter-attack. There is growing suspicion that the stolen food was intended for kidnap victims currently being held in the surrounding bushes, as four other residents remain in captivity from a separate incident.
The Benue State Civil Protection Guards confirmed the victims at the shop as Igbabe Ochi, Achibi Onah, Eje Eba, and Sunday Iruja. While security forces, including the police and civil guards, have since intensified patrols in the area to prevent further bloodshed, residents remain fearful. The President of the Otobi Community Development Association, John Anyebe, noted that the attackers entered through the railway station bridge, shooting another individual near the local Water Board before reaching the main group.
This latest massacre adds to a grim timeline of violence for the Otobi community. Honorable Kennedy Angbo, the lawmaker representing the constituency, expressed deep frustration over the persistent insecurity. He recalled that just last April, 13 people were killed in the same area, followed by another attack that claimed three lives. He also pointed out that travelers are no longer safe, citing a recent attack on a commercial bus just days ago that left several passengers injured.
As the community buries its dead, there is a loud cry for more than just patrols; leaders are demanding a proactive intelligence operation to flush out criminal elements who have seemingly turned the local forests into their headquarters. For now, a heavy silence hangs over Otobi Akpa as the people wait for a more permanent solution to the recurring nightmare of armed raids.
