Suspected herdsmen kill eight for gun attack during burial for Benue

Eight pipo don die and five sustain injuries afta gunmen attack Otukpo-Nobi for Otukpo local govment area for Benue State on Sunday night, according to police.

Di state police tok-tok pesin, Udeme Edet confam say di attack happun during one funeral on Sunday, wia gunmen kill eight pipo and injure five for di community.

However, residents of di community dey allege say na herders forcefully enta di community around 6:00am to kill eight pipo while dem still dey find about 40 pipo wey dey miss.

Many believe say na reprisal attack happun on Sunday afta di death of Alhaji Ardo Risku Muhammad, di Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), wey gunmen attack and kill for Otukpo LGA in June.

Di state govnor, Hyacinth Alia don condemn di attack by suspected herdsmen as e describe am as 'barbaric and inhuman' attackon di sanctity of life.

Inside statement on Sunday, di tok-tok pesin to di govnor, Tersoo Kula tok say di gunmen forcefully enta Akpachi Village around 3:00am and 4:00 am early mor-mor as dem still dey sleep to attack di residents.

Di govnor don direct security agencies make dem investigate di matta, "intensify surveillance and patrols across di affected communities and border areas to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of di evil act."

Alia tok say di attack pain becos di state govment don dey work wit traditional rules and security agencies to bring peace and harmoney into di state.

E send im condolence message to di families of di deceased while e pray for sharp recovery for di pipo wey wound.

"Di suspected armed herdsmen reportedly enta Akpachi Village betwin 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. wen residents still dey sleep, dem kill plenti pipo, while many odas sustain different degrees of injuries," Tersoo Kula tok.

"Govnor Alia don call security agencies for di state to intensify surveillance and patrols across di affected communities and border areas to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of di eveil act."

Meanwhile, di deputy govnor of di state, Sam Odeh on Monday visit Otupko community, e tok say di community leaders bin tell am say dem no dey defend dem enuof becos dem bin tell security agencies bifor di incident happun.

E tok say dem no fit allow di locals make dem defend demselves while im assure di community as dem go put security operation for di community.

"Wetin my pipo don tok for here na im be say we no dey defend dem enouf, dem tok say bifor dis incident happun. Di comunity leaders, don raise alarm to tell all di security agencies and di only option wey dem get now, na self-defense," e tok.

"We no fit allow dem make dem defend dem sef, becos govment na still govment."

"Dis na di assurance wey I wan give all of una, I go challenge di security agencies. We need to put front operation base for dis community becos bifor help go land, di worst don already happun."

"We must design security architecture, we no go just dey preventive. But we go also go afta pipo wey dey commit evil crime like dis. Wetin we want na development no be condolence."

Di deputy govnor tok say dem go give di pipo wey die and pipo wey injure five million naira ($4000) and additional 1m naira from Blessing Onuh lawmaker wey dey represent Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency.

"Armed assailants open fire to kill eight for one funeral," Benue State police command

However, di Nigeria police tok say di gunmen attack pipo during one funeral for north-central Nigeria, wia dem kill eight pipo on Monday.

Di police tok-tok pesin, Udeme Edet tok say di attack happun on Sunday for Otukpo-Nobi wia dem kill eight pipo and injure five for di community.

She no tok weda na herdsmen attack di community but many for di community alledge say na herders attack di resident early mor-mor on Sunday.

Edet tok say di attackers burn down houses and dem also burn down motorcycle for di area.

"Di Benue State Police Command don condemn di cruel and tragic attack wey happun for early mor-mor on Sunday, 12th July, 2026, for Otukpo-Nobi Community for Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State," di statement tok.

"Around 6:00 a.m., di Command receive distress call wey report say armed assailants invade di community shortly afta dem conclude di wake and burial rites of di late Mr. Adaje Okoh, one old man. Di attackers reportedly open fire, and e result in di death of eight pipo, while five odas substain various levels of injuries. Some thatched houses and one motorcycle also burn during di attack.

Amnesty International Nigeria tok say na 10 pipo die for di attack, while dem call on di security operatives for Nigeria make dem conduct "independent, impartial and effective investigation" into di attack for Otukpo-Nobi and Akpachi-Ugboju communities.

"Di attacks don already dey generate fear and panic across Otukpo LGA and beyond. Govement must live up to diamain obligation to protect lives and property," Amnesty tok.

Di presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi don ask di Nigeria govment make dem fulfil dia primary obligations to di pipo and secure dia lives

"Di primary responsibility of any govment na d to protect lives and property. Every Nigerian life dey sacred, and every life wey we lose don too much. Dis no be just statistics; dem be fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners and future leaders wey dia dreams don end," e tok.