Suspected herdsmen launched coordinated attacks on three communities—Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju—in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, intensifying fears of escalating violence in the region. The assaults, which followed the killing of 11 people in nearby Otobi village on Tuesday, have left several residents feared dead, according to local sources.
The affected communities, previously targeted in February when five people were killed, were attacked simultaneously, catching residents off guard. Otukpo LGA Chairman Maxwell Ogiri confirmed the incidents, noting that the assailants struck while the Commissioner of Police was at the Ochidoma Palace addressing the prior day’s attack on Otobi.
Ogiri reported that three individuals sustained injuries, prompting women and children to flee the communities in fear for their lives. “Only young men remained when the attackers arrived,” he said, adding that a swift response from combined security forces forced the attackers to flee without any arrests.
The attacks come hours after Governor Hyacinth Alia announced the arrest of three suspected herders linked to the Otobi invasion. The state police spokesperson, Sewuese Anene, has yet to provide official confirmation of the latest incidents.
The recurring violence has heightened tensions in Otukpo, with residents calling for urgent measures to restore security in the region.
