Sunday, February 8, 2026 -At least two people have lost their lives in a renewed
attack on Akpete community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State after an
attack by suspected armed herdsmen.
The attack, which occurred on Friday evening, also left
several residents injured, while others were reported missing as fear and
confusion gripped the area.
A resident of Akpete said the assailants first entered the
community around midday but were confronted by local youths, forcing them to
withdraw temporarily.
“They came around 12 noon but our youths stood up to them.
Unfortunately, they returned around 6pm in much larger numbers and began moving
from house to house looking for people to attack. By then, most residents had
fled,” he said.
According to the source, the attackers later killed a man
who had returned briefly to his house to pick up personal items and also burnt
his motorcycle.
Another resident was reportedly killed in a nearby location
during the second wave of the attack.
The deceased were identified as Matthew Ochanga and Isaac
Adanu. The source added that many others suffered serious injuries.
“The truth is that we are tired of these attacks. Many of
our villages have been deserted. They want to take over our ancestral land. Our
people can no longer go to their farms to produce food, and we have become
helpless.”
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command confirmed
receiving reports of an attack by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen on Edikwu
Icho, also within Apa LGA, but stated that the incident was successfully
contained.
In a statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP
Udeme Edet, the police said officers from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were
quickly deployed to the area, bringing the situation under control.
“The attack was repelled through the efforts of operatives
of the Benue State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad.
The general security situation in Apa Local Government Area
remains calm,” the statement said.
The police further revealed that reconstruction of the
bridge linking Ugbokpo, Idogbu, Ochumeku and Ikobi communities previously
destroyed by suspected herdsmen was ongoing.
According to the Command, the reconstruction “is being
carried out under heavy security presence.”
In a separate but related incident, police operatives
reportedly intercepted a suspect transporting ammunition in Ukum Local
Government Area on the same Friday.
DSP Edet said the suspect, identified as Saamoga, also known
as Aleki, was arrested at Tse Dubem following intelligence reports that he was
conveying live ammunition on a commercial motorcycle from Gbagir to Zaki-Biam.
“A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of
117 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed inside socks within his
handbag,” the statement noted, adding that charms and a mobile phone were also
recovered.
The suspect was said to have sustained a gunshot wound while
attempting to escape arrest and later died while receiving medical treatment at
the General Hospital, Zaki-Biam.
She disclosed that preliminary findings indicated the
ammunition was being transported to Taraba State.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari,
praised officers involved in the operations for their professionalism and
assured residents of the Command’s resolve to sustain proactive,
intelligence-driven policing across the state.
He also appealed to the public to remain calm and continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to enhance crime prevention and detection efforts.
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