Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State was thrown into fear over the weekend following the killing of a retired Warrant Officer and two other civilians in separate attacks.
Our correspondent gathered that the ex-soldier was shot dead at his residence in Asa 2, a suburb of Otukpo town, while the other two victims were killed along the Otobi–Akpa Road. Residents said the incidents, which occurred on Sunday, were allegedly carried out by armed invaders.
In a related attack on Monday, the gunmen reportedly abducted a woman and a child in the same area.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ex-soldier had been targeted due to his efforts to prevent the armed groups from carrying out their activities. “People are worried. Residents now live in constant fear because the attackers have been persistent in their pursuit,” the source said.
The Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Maxwell Ogiri, attributed the surge in attacks to the displacement of bandits from the northern parts of the country. Speaking to journalists in Makurdi on Tuesday, he said, “These gun-wielding bandits entered our community after the Christmas celebration. The attacks in the North East and parts of the Middle Belt have forced some of them to look for safer havens, and they chose our area.”
Ogiri added, “They are seeking people for ransom and trying to obtain food and other items by force. The attack earlier today was motivated by their need for sustenance. They took cash, cooked and raw food, and fled when the local vigilante intervened. The situation is now calm as security agencies responded swiftly, and the government is reinforcing security. We believe the perpetrators will soon be apprehended and normalcy restored.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Police Public Relations Officer for Benue Command, DSP Udeme Edet, had not responded to calls or messages.
