•Armed Fulani herdsmen
Panic has gripped residents of Otobi community in Akpa District of Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, following a fresh attack by armed invaders yesterday.
Local sources told our correspondent via telephone that some people are feared dead after the assault, which reportedly began around 6:30 p.m, reports Daily Trust.
The villagers, caught unawares, are said to be fleeing in large numbers, seeking safety from the attackers.
Kennedy Angbo, the lawmaker representing the Otukpo-Akpa constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly and an indigene of the area, confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi over the phone.
He said while the number of casualties is yet to be ascertained, hundreds of residents are currently abandoning their homes.
A resident, Edwin Emma, who narrowly escaped the attack, described it as sudden and brutal.
“We are being attacked by Fulani herdsmen in Otobi. My wife and children are running for safety as I speak. Please call for help,” he said.
Emma also called on the state government and security agencies to intervene urgently, stressing that the attack was unprovoked.
Otobi community is the site of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources’ Multipurpose Dam, which was previously attacked earlier this month.
During that incident, a security guard stationed at the facility was reportedly killed.
Confirming the latest development, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Maxwell Ogiri, told journalists via telephone that he had instructed his aides in Otobi and neighbouring areas to work with security forces to contain the violence.
“I’m currently in Abuja for the local government election tribunal ruling, but my aides informed me this evening that Otobi is under serious attack. I have directed them to collaborate with security personnel to restore order,” Ogiri said.
He added that although he had not received a full report yet, preliminary information suggests the attack was carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
“As of now, I have not received any official report of fatalities, but I expect to get more details by tomorrow,” he said.
Ogiri urged residents to remain calm and allow security operatives to manage the situation.
Efforts to get a response from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Catherine Anene, were not returned at the time of filing this report.
