At least three people have been killed in fresh attacks by gunmen suspected to be armed herders on communities in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attacks, which occurred between Friday and Saturday, July 25, 2026, also left at least two people injured, while several cattle were reportedly rustled and a motorcycle stolen.
The Chairman of Ohimini LGA, Gabriel Adole, confirmed the incidents on Sunday, saying the attackers first struck Elulu community on Friday, where they killed one resident and attacked another before making away with the victim’s Bajaj motorcycle.
According to Adole, the gunmen later stormed Agadagba community in an attempt to rustle cattle but were resisted by residents and local vigilantes. During the confrontation, one of the suspected attackers was reportedly shot in the leg, forcing the group to flee without the livestock.
He said the assailants returned to Agadagba on Saturday and killed two more residents, raising the death toll from the attacks to three.
“So far, three lives have been lost to the attacks. Two persons who were injured, including the owner of the stolen motorcycle and another victim attacked during the cattle rustling incident, are receiving treatment in the hospital,” Adole said.
The council chairman disclosed that security personnel had been deployed to the affected communities, while local vigilantes had also been mobilised to assist in tracking down the attackers.
He added that Governor Hyacinth Alia had directed the mobilisation of community vigilantes to reinforce security across the area, expressing confidence that the perpetrators would not succeed in forcing residents from their ancestral homes.
“Our vigilantes are on the ground because they can access areas that are difficult for conventional security operatives. We will not allow these marauders to drive us out of our land,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents reported that armed men also attacked Ogoli and Igblagidi communities in Ugboju on Saturday in separate incidents. Three people, including a cattle owner, were reportedly shot and injured during the attacks, while several cows were rustled.
