security
Coordinated Fresh Herdsmen Attacks on Benue Communities Kill 18
By Attah Ede, Makurdi
At least 18 persons have been killed and scores injured following fresh attacks by suspected armed herdsmen on Akpachi and Otukpo-Nobi communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, sparking widespread outrage, protests, and renewed calls for decisive action against the perpetrators.
The attacks began on Saturday when gunmen invaded Akpachi village in Ugboju Council Ward, killing two farmers and injuring several others.
In the early hours of Sunday, the assailants struck again, this time attacking sleeping residents of Otukpo-Nobi between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., leaving at least 16 people dead, including women and children, while many others sustained injuries.Although local authorities initially confirmed 10 deaths, residents and youth leaders later said additional bodies recovered from the affected communities had pushed the death toll to at least 18, with fears that more casualties could still be discovered.
The attacks triggered angry protests in Otukpo as youths carried the corpses of some victims to the palace of the Och’Idoma, His Royal Majesty Agabaidu Elaigwu John Odogbo, to register their anger over the worsening insecurity in Idoma land.
The protesters also barricaded major roads leading into Otukpo town, demanding urgent intervention by the Federal and Benue State governments to halt the recurring killings.
Residents believe the latest attacks may have been reprisals linked to the June 26 killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Risku Mohammed, and his associate, Yakubu Isah, who were murdered while returning from a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area. Police had earlier announced the arrest of 17 suspects, including some traditional rulers, in connection with the incident.
Confirming the attacks, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, said the violence began with the killing of two farmers in Akpachi before the gunmen launched a larger assault on Otukpo-Nobi.
He said the council was working to relocate survivors to safer locations, provide emergency support for victims, and strengthen security across the area while appealing to youths to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
The renewed violence also forced residents of neighbouring communities, including Emichi, to flee their homes, while panic reportedly disrupted activities around the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo.
Reacting to the killings, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the attacks, describing them as barbaric, inhuman and a direct assault on the peace and security of Benue State.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor lamented that the attacks occurred despite ongoing collaboration between the government, traditional rulers and security agencies to restore lasting peace across the state.
Alia directed security agencies to immediately intensify surveillance and patrols in the affected communities and border areas, work with security operatives in neighbouring states, and ensure that the perpetrators are tracked down, arrested and prosecuted.
He assured residents that his administration would not allow Benue communities to become “killing fields,” urging citizens to support security agencies with credible and timely intelligence.
Also condemning the attacks, Deputy Governor Dr Sam Ode described the killings as barbaric, inhuman and unacceptable. He disclosed that Governor Alia, who is currently outside the state on official assignment, had been fully briefed and had directed all heads of security agencies to move to Otukpo immediately to coordinate security operations and restore order.
Ode appealed to residents to remain peaceful, vigilant and law-abiding while cooperating with security agencies to bring those responsible to justice.
Similarly, Senator Abba Moro, representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, expressed concern over the escalating attacks, warning that continued killings could provoke a major crisis if urgent action was not taken.
He urged governments at all levels and security agencies to guarantee the safety of lives and property in the affected communities.
The senator also condemned the recent ambush and abduction of mourners transporting the remains of Deputy Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Augustine Ikwue, in neighbouring Kogi State, calling for the immediate rescue of those kidnapped.
As of press time, security had been reinforced in the affected communities, but tension remained high as residents mourned the victims and demanded lasting solutions to the recurring violence in Benue State.
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening defence and security cooperation with Nigeria, with emphasis on military training, technology transfer and institutional capacity building.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, reiterated the commitment during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen.
Olufemi Oluyede, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.This was contained in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Vowles reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to sustaining existing security initiatives and exploring new areas of collaboration to address evolving regional and global security challenges.
He described defence and security cooperation as critical pillars of the longstanding bilateral relationship between both countries.
The high commissioner also stressed the need for a mutually beneficial partnership that would promote regional stability and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to tackle contemporary security threats.
In his response, Oluyede highlighted the longstanding historical ties between Nigeria and the UK, noting that both countries had sustained productive defence relations over several decades.
He said the two countries had continued to collaborate in addressing shared security concerns.
The CDS emphasised the need to sustain and expand existing areas of cooperation, particularly in professional military education, technology transfer and institutional capacity building.
According to him, ongoing defence agreements and training programmes have contributed to improving the professional competence and operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Oluyede emphasised that continued collaboration with strategic international partners remained vital to strengthening the military’s capacity to respond effectively to emerging threats.
He added that such partnerships would also promote greater self-reliance, institutional resilience and operational efficiency within the Armed Forces.
Both parties expressed optimism about the future of the UK-Nigeria defence and security partnership, reaffirming their commitment to consolidating existing achievements and exploring further areas of cooperation for mutual benefit.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
Nigeria and Rwanda are exploring new areas of military cooperation, including personnel exchanges, specialised training and local defence equipment production, as both countries seek to strengthen regional security.
The proposals were presented by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, during an official working visit to Rwanda, where he held talks with the Army Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi.
In a statement, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the discussions focused on expanding professional military cooperation and improving the operational capacity of both armies.
Shaibu proposed that two cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) undertake a four-year training programme at the Rwanda Military Academy, with similar opportunities to be made available to Rwandan cadets in Nigeria.
He also called for collaboration between the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and relevant Rwandan institutions to boost local defence production and encourage technology development.
Other areas identified for cooperation include logistics, Military Police training, pre-deployment preparation for peace support operations and the exchange of operational experience in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency.
The Army Chief said both countries could draw on their respective military experiences to tackle emerging security threats, improve operational readiness and promote stability across the region.
He further stressed the need for closer ties between DICON and Rwanda’s defence engineering and procurement institutions to support indigenous equipment manufacturing, technological advancement and greater self-reliance.
During the visit, Shaibu paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, particularly the 600 personnel who defended Kigali during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He described their resilience and patriotism as enduring lessons in national determination and military leadership.
In his response, Nyakarundi commended the Nigerian Army for providing specialised Military Police and Intelligence training to Rwandan personnel.
He called for expanded professional military education through institutions such as the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Army War College Nigeria and the National Defence College.
The Rwandan Army chief also welcomed the proposed cadet exchange programme and defence industrial partnership, describing the visit as a reflection of growing mutual trust and professional solidarity between the two armies.
The proposed initiatives are expected to provide a framework for deeper military engagement between Nigeria and Rwanda, particularly in training, defence technology and regional security cooperation
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
An Assistant Superintendent of Corps (ASC), Usman Isah Ndamaka, was moved to tears yesterday as he appeared before the Justice Mohammed Mohammed-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry in Minna.
He offered an unreserved apology over the death of 37 miners while in the custody of the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Ndamaka, who was the officer in charge of the command’s detention facility when the incident occurred on September 17, admitted full responsibility for the tragedy, describing it as a grave mistake.
The judicial panel was set up by the Niger State Government to probe the circumstances surrounding the fatalities, which reportedly occurred following the arrest of 58 suspected illegal miners comprising 33 males and 25 females.
Recounting the events that led to the deaths, Ndamaka explained that the facility was originally designed to accommodate between 28 and 30 detainees.
He stated that while female suspects were separated and relocated to another facility, accommodating the remaining male detainees presented a severe logistical challenge.
According to him, the suspects arrived late in the evening during a heavy downpour, making an immediate transfer difficult. An attempt to relocate some of the detainees to the old command facility failed after the Mining Marshal rejected the arrangement.
Ndamaka told the commission that heat, severe overcrowding, and distress caused the male suspects to scream and shout inside the cell.
However, he admitted that fear of being overpowered prevented him and his subordinates from unlocking the door
”An error has already been committed. I am very sorry for the death of the miners under my custody,” Ndamaka said in an emotional testimony. “It is unfortunate that this happened under my watch. I am pained, and I admit my mistake.”
Also testifying, the head of the NSCDC investigation unit, Chief Superintendent of Corps Sunday Oluwadere, confirmed that he profiled and investigated the suspects following their arrest and recovered several exhibits.
Under cross-examination by the Niger State Head of the Legal Aid Council, Mrs. Bolanle Jibogun, Oluwadere expressed regret over operational shortcomings during the handling of the suspects.
Earlier, the Chief Consultant Pathologist at the General Hospital, Minna, Dr. Alfa Sule, informed the panel that post-mortem examinations were required to determine the precise cause of death.
Dr. Sule stated that conducting the autopsies requires coroner approval, while obtaining toxicology and histology samples for forensic laboratory analysis in Lagos requires the consent of the deceased persons’ families.
He projected that full forensic results would be ready within two weeks once samples are dispatched.
Following the incident, the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, ordered the arrest of 22 officers, including the suspended Niger State Commandant, Siaka Zubeiru Anirive.
The officers were escorted to the corps’ national headquarters in Abuja for administrative procedures.
Eight personnel have so far testified before the judicial panel as proceedings continue.
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