Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Armed Herders Kill Retired Officer, Councilor, Four Others in Benue

At least six people have been killed in the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State due to attacks by suspected armed herders. Among the victims was a retired Warrant Officer, killed in Asa 2, and five others, including a former councillor, killed during a Tuesday morning attack. Local authorities attributed these attacks to bandits posing as herders, and community volunteers had been on alert following an earlier kidnapping attempt. The attackers looted food and valuables during their assaults, and the state has witnessed a surge in violence from armed groups, linked by some to the aftermath of US airstrikes on ISWAP camps and seasonal migrations of herders seeking grazing land. Authorities are investigating the incidents and seeking to apprehend the attackers.

Charles John | 1) Herdsmen attacks—Nigeria—Benue State 2) Murders—Nigeria—Benue State 3) Civilian victims of violence—Nigeria—Benue State | Punch Newspaper | Wednesday, January 14, 2026