At least 10 people have been reported dead following a violent overnight attack on Saai community in Mbajir ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area in Benue State, where armed men stormed the area in the early hours of Wednesday and opened fire on residents.
Community sources said the assault occurred after midnight when the gunmen invaded the settlement and began shooting indiscriminately, forcing residents to flee in panic.
At least 10 bodies were said to have been recovered, although authorities have yet to confirm a final casualty figure, according to Daily Trust.
A local resident, who asked not to be identified, described the scene as chaotic, explaining that the attackers struck while people were asleep. According to the resident, “Some were wounded from the gunshots while others were killed and macheted beyond recognition,” as survivors attempted to escape the violence.
However, the Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Justine Shaku, put the death toll at six when he spoke to journalists in Makurdi, adding that tensions remained high in the affected community and that further assessment would be carried out.
Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, also acknowledged the attack but said five persons lost their lives.
Reacting to the violence, Governor Hyacinth Alia strongly condemned the killings, describing them as a reckless and inhumane attack on innocent residents. In a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said, “These enemies of progress have chosen to disrupt the peace and food security of our state by targeting the moment when crops are developing, and the hope for a bountiful harvest is high.”
He further directed security agencies to increase their presence in Saai and surrounding communities, intensify efforts to track down the attackers, and ensure the protection of farmers and residents in the area.
The latest bloodshed comes just days after the assassination of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Muhammad, who was killed shortly after attending a police-organised peace meeting.
According to reports from his family, Muhammad was attacked on Friday while returning from a dialogue session between herders and farming communities in Ohimini Local Government Area. His son, Muhammad Idris, said the assailants trailed and killed both the MACBAN leader and his associate, Yakubu Isah, on their way home after the meeting.
In another development, armed men abducted a clergyman and two members of his household from the NKST Church at Andyar-Ishan in Guma Local Government Area. Residents said the attackers invaded the pastor’s residence on Tuesday night and whisked the victims away.
By Wednesday, the Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST) confirmed that its cleric, Rev. Dr Samuel Gbinde, along with two church members, had been kidnapped. In a statement signed by the NKST General Secretary, Rev. T. A. Targba, the church said the victims were taken from the pastor’s residence in the early hours of Tuesday.
The church expressed concern over the incident and called on the public to pray for the safe release of the victims, stressing confidence in divine intervention while urging security agencies, the Benue State Government, and federal authorities to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Meanwhile, political leaders have also reacted to the rising insecurity in the state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 elections in Benue State, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), condemned the killings and described the situation as unacceptable. He also urged authorities to ensure those behind the violence are identified and prosecuted.
Aondoakaa, through his media aide James Ian, specifically denounced the killing of the MACBAN chairman and his associate, calling on security agencies to act decisively against armed groups operating in the state.
Similarly, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, also condemned the murder of Muhammad and Yakubu Isah, who were reportedly ambushed after attending a peace dialogue. He called for a thorough investigation and swift prosecution of the perpetrators.
