Armed Herdsmen Kill Mother, Son, and Two Others in fresh Benue Attack

Tragedy struck Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State on Wednesday as suspected armed herders launched coordinated attacks on Egwuma and Ogbai communities, resulting in the deaths of four people, including a mother and her son.

Residents reported that the victims were working on their farms when the attackers struck. At the time of reporting, two other individuals were still missing as search efforts continued. A local resident, who identified himself as Inalegwu, described the incident in a phone interview.

“Some herdsmen attacked Egwuma and Ogbai communities today. They killed a woman and her son working on their farm and also took the lives of two others in the neighboring Ogbai community. Two people remain missing, and we are still searching for them,” he said.

The Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin James, confirmed the killings, condemning them as senseless and barbaric.

“This is an unprovoked attack on our people. How could anyone attack and kill a mother and her son who were simply working on their farm? The incident occurred today in Egwuma, where the mother and son were killed, and two others lost their lives in Ogbai community,” James lamented.

He further noted that the assault happened while security operatives were patrolling other parts of the LGA.

“The security forces in Agatu have been working hard to enhance security, but the poor road conditions in the area hamper their efforts. At the time of the attack, the security personnel were conducting surveillance in other areas,” he explained.

The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, when contacted, said she was on an official tour and had yet to receive a detailed report.

“As you can hear in the background, I am currently on tour and have not received the report, but I will get back to you later,” she stated.