Suspected herdsmen kill newlywed soldier, many others in Benue community

A wave of sorrow has swept through Benue State following a deadly nighttime attack on Ikobi-Ochekwu community in Apa Local Government Area.

The brutal assault, carried out by suspected herdsmen late Wednesday night, left several residents dead—including a soldier who had reportedly just gotten married.

Eyewitness accounts reveal that the assailants stormed the village under the cover of darkness, unleashing hours of terror. Gunshots rang out as the attackers fired indiscriminately at helpless villagers. Homes were also set ablaze, leaving survivors devastated and homeless.

A resident identified as Ochofie said that the village was caught completely off guard. “They came in the night, shooting everywhere and burning our homes. It was like a nightmare,” he said.

“In the early hours of Thursday, two more bodies were discovered in nearby Ijaha, identified as Sani Ngbede and Aduba Paul Ogboyi,” a source said.

The identities of other victims, including the slain soldiers who was said to have recently tied the knot, are yet to be officially confirmed by authorities