Suspected armed herders kill three in fresh Benue attacks

At least three people were killed and two injured in fresh attacks by suspected armed herders on the Elulu and Agadagba communities in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. The incidents occurred separately between Friday and Saturday night, according to local reports.

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

A resident of Agadagba, who identified himself as Ameh, stated that attackers invaded the village on Saturday night after an initial attack on Elulu the previous day. During the Saturday night incident, youths repelled an attempt to rustle cows, but the armed herders opened fire, killing two youths. The same group had reportedly killed one person and stolen a motorcycle in Elulu on Friday.

Gabriel Adole, the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, confirmed the attacks, stating that one person was killed and another injured in Elulu on Friday. He added that on Saturday, two people were killed in Agadagba after the herders' attempt to rustle cows was repelled. Adole mentioned that he was preparing to visit the communities to commiserate with the victims and that the injured were receiving hospital treatment.

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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. 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.

Local security personnel, in collaboration with the police, have been deployed to the affected communities to prevent further violence. Adole noted that normalcy is gradually returning following the security deployment. Ohimini Local Government Area has experienced repeated attacks recently, which some residents link to the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria on June 24, 2026. The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command could not be reached for comment.

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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.