The wave of coordinated violence in Benue State continues to deepen tensions, as the death toll from the recent attacks in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas has now risen to 20. The assaults, allegedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen, have thrown several communities in the Sankera axis into mourning, with ongoing recovery efforts still uncovering more casualties.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, in a phone interview with Channels Television on Saturday, confirmed the latest death toll and provided updates on the security situation in the affected areas. According to the governor, five bodies were initially recovered in Gbagir community and deposited in the morgue. However, local residents who were still searching for missing loved ones stumbled upon two additional bodies, bringing the figure from that community to seven.
In the neighbouring Logo Local Government Area, the situation was just as grim. Governor Alia revealed that police officers responding to the simultaneous attacks in Logo discovered twelve lifeless bodies, all victims of the violent incursion. The bodies were also taken to the morgue for proper documentation and potential identification by family members. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths in the coordinated assault across the two LGAs to 20.
The governor assured residents that the state government remains committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property, while urging the public to assist security agencies with actionable intelligence that could help in curbing future attacks. He emphasized that such collaboration is key in defeating the growing security threats plaguing some parts of the state.
Further insights were provided by the Benue State Police Command in a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sewuese Anene, who explained that information was received about a large group of suspected militia storming the Sankera axis, particularly around Gbagir in Ukum LGA. Acting swiftly on this intelligence, Commissioner of Police, CP Steve H. Yabanet, deployed tactical units to join forces with officers already stationed in the area.
According to the statement, the armed group, upon confrontation with security operatives, opened fire indiscriminately on unsuspecting farmers and residents. During the encounter, five victims were recovered in the Gbagir area and confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital. In a troubling twist, the attackers reportedly launched a simultaneous assault in Logo LGA, where twelve more persons were found dead before police arrived at the scene.
Security forces are said to be continuing their pursuit of the armed group, who are believed to have retreated into the dense forests around the Taraba State boundary. The police chief also issued a stern warning to social media users and bloggers spreading unverified or incendiary reports, noting that such actions only fuel tension and undermine ongoing security operations.
This recent violence comes on the heels of similar attacks in Otukpo Local Government Area, where earlier this year, at least five persons were reportedly killed in simultaneous assaults on Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju communities. Those incidents occurred just a day after eleven residents of Otobi community, also in Otukpo LGA, were murdered by suspected herders, painting a bleak picture of escalating insecurity in Benue.
As the state grapples with these repeated incidents, calls for intensified federal security presence and proactive local intelligence gathering have grown louder, with communities across the region now living in fear of further attacks. The people of Benue continue to count their losses as they hope for a swift and lasting solution to the persistent threat.
