144 Killed in Two Weeks as Herdsmen Rampage Through Plateau, Benue

The escalating wave of insecurity in Nigeria’s North Central region has claimed at least 144 lives in the last two weeks following a series of violent attacks by suspected armed herdsmen in Plateau and Benue states. The latest assault occurred Tuesday evening, leaving at least 13 people dead in Otobi Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue, and dozens more injured, with over 50 houses burned to the ground. Several residents remain missing as terrified locals flee the area in droves.

Of the total fatalities, 104 were recorded in Plateau State alone—52 in Bassa LGA and 52 in Bokkos LGA—while 40 others were killed in separate incidents across Benue State. In one of the most recent attacks, over 20 armed assailants stormed Otobi Akpa around 6 p.m., shooting indiscriminately and torching homes. The local vigilante group was reportedly absent at the time, attending a burial in a nearby village.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as gunmen ambushed civilians, with many killed by gunfire or hacked with machetes. Community members believe the attacks were retaliation against the state’s anti-open grazing law.

In the midst of the carnage, Benue State Deputy Governor Samuel Ode visited the survivors, many of whom have taken refuge at the Federal Government College in Otobi. He assured the displaced that steps were being taken to bolster security.

Meanwhile, in a separate attack the same day, Boko Haram insurgents struck Adamawa State’s Hong Local Government Area, killing seven people and leaving many others unaccounted for. The assault affected Banga, Larh, and surrounding villages. A vigilante was killed by an explosive device during an effort to secure the area, and a police van was severely damaged. Witnesses described a chaotic scene of gunfire and panic, with entire communities abandoned as residents fled into the night.

In response to the worsening crisis, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has introduced new security measures, including a ban on night grazing, restrictions on cattle transportation after 7 p.m., and limitations on motorcycle movement between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. These steps are part of a broader effort to counter what he described as “a systematic and premeditated campaign” to displace and terrorize local populations.

Governor Mutfwang expressed deep sorrow over the recent attacks and emphasized that the violence was not random but part of an orchestrated effort to destabilize communities. He vowed to protect lives and property, activate community-based response systems, and launch a fact-finding committee to investigate the root causes of the violence.

Reacting to the spate of killings, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately return from his retreat in France and address the nation’s growing security crisis. “In the two weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity,” Obi said in a statement.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, also condemned the failure of both federal and state governments to enforce the ban on open grazing, calling on the President to direct the Nigerian Army and Police to restore law and order in the affected states without delay.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) described the situation as a national disgrace, lamenting the transformation of Plateau State from a symbol of peace into a zone of bloodshed. In a strongly worded statement, NEF demanded immediate deployment of security forces, compensation for victims, and the establishment of an independent panel to investigate the atrocities and bring perpetrators to justice.

As residents mourn their dead and abandon their homes in fear, many are left asking when the bloodshed will end—and who will protect them.