Terrorists invaded Akpete in Benue State on Friday evening, killing two residents and injuring several others in a ruthless attack.
The assailants first struck around noon, but local youths repelled them, forcing a temporary retreat.
However, the terrorists returned in greater numbers by 6 p.m., storming house to house and targeting anyone in sight.
They gunned down Matthew Ochanga as he returned home to collect belongings, then burned his motorcycle in a show of destruction.
Nearby, they killed Isaac Adanu, adding to the chaos that left villagers scrambling for safety.
Residents described the horror in vivid terms.
One local recounted, “They came around 12 noon but our youths stood up to them.
Unfortunately, they returned around 6pm in much larger numbers and began moving from house to house looking for people to attack. By then, most residents had fled.”
Another expressed deep frustration: “The truth is that we are tired of these attacks. Many of our villages have been deserted.
They want to take over our ancestral land. Our people can no longer go to their farms to produce food, and we have become helpless.”
As a result, the assault displaced many families, emptying villages and heightening fears across Apa Local Government Area.
This incident unfolds amid a brutal wave of violence sweeping Benue State.
Just days earlier, terrorists targeted Anwase Market in Kwande Local Government Area, slaughtering at least 13 traders in a follow-up raid.
In addition, reports indicate that attacks across Benue claimed 32 lives in recent days, including 17 in Kwande alone, as militants clashed with security forces.
Meanwhile, a separate onslaught in neighboring areas left 30 dead, traumatizing communities and destroying properties.
Authorities responded by deploying military units to block terrorist routes, but locals demand more urgent action to stem the tide.
These assaults, often linked to land disputes, disrupt farming in Benue—Nigeria’s agricultural heartland—and threaten food security for the region.
As communities rebuild amid grief, the cycle of terror underscores the pressing need for lasting solutions.
