{"id":119359,"date":"2025-06-02T17:32:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T16:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=119359"},"modified":"2025-06-02T17:32:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T16:32:05","slug":"horrow-as-herdsmen-kill-49-in-fresh-benue-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/horrow-as-herdsmen-kill-49-in-fresh-benue-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Horrow as Herdsmen Kill 49 in Fresh Benue Attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Tracy Moses<\/div>\n
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Tragedy struck again in Benue State on Sunday night, June 1,\u00a0 2025, as armed herdsmen launched coordinated attacks on communities in Apa and Gwer-West Local Government Areas, leaving at least 49 people dead.<\/div>\n
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Investigations by Pointblanknews.com revealed that 28 individuals were killed in Apa LGA, while 21 others lost their lives in the assault on Gwer-West LGA.<\/div>\n
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According to credible sources, the assault in Apa LGA targeted Ankpali and Olijamu Edikwu communities, with several residents still unaccounted for as of press time.<\/div>\n
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In Gwer-West, reports indicated that the deadly attack on Naka town led to the recovery of 13 bodies, which were deposited at the General Hospital in Naka by Monday morning. By midday, eight more corpses had been found, with local sources fearing the death toll could still rise.<\/div>\n
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Efforts to get comments from the council chairmen, Adams Ocheiga of Apa and Victor Ormin of Gwer-West, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.<\/div>\n
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However, Pointblanknews.com reliably gathered from government insiders that the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, had summoned both chairmen for a briefing to get a clearer picture of the situation.<\/div>\n
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At the time of this report, the chairmen were said to be waiting for an audience with the governor. The state government was yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.<\/div>\n
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Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command has confirmed the attacks but has yet to release official casualty figures.<\/div>\n
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The Command\u2019s Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, stated: \u201cYes, I can confirm there were attacks in both Naka and Apa. Tactical units have been deployed and are currently on the ground. I\u2019ll provide more accurate details as soon as they\u2019re available.\u201d<\/div>\n
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In a separate development, youth groups from Kula, Tse-Orbiam, and the Agagbe axis in Gwer-West LGA have called for the immediate withdrawal of military forces from their communities. They are demanding the introduction of community-based security arrangements as a more effective solution.<\/div>\n
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Their position was conveyed in a letter dated June 2, 2025, addressed to Governor Alia and signed by M.T. Ugbede, Youth Representative of the Kula-Tse-Orbiam-Agagbe Youth Council.<\/div>\n
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Copies of the letter were sent to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator representing Benue North-West, Titus Zam; Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aondona Dajoh; State Assembly member for Gwer-West, Solomon Gyila; and Gwer-West LGA Chairman, Victor Ormin.<\/div>\n
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Also copied were the Ter Nagi, HRH Chief Daniel Abomtse; the State Commissioner of Police; Chief of Defence Staff; and the State Director of the DSS.<\/div>\n
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Local residents insist the true casualty figure may be even higher as more bodies are yet to be discovered.<\/div>\n
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