More than 1,000 residents have fled Ankpechi community in Oglewu District of Ohimini Local Government Area in Nigeria’s Benue State after suspected armed bandits attacked the area on Thursday morning.
Ohimini Local Government Chairman Gabriel Adole confirmed the attack, saying residents escaped to neighbouring communities while security personnel had been deployed to restore calm and prevent further violence.
The latest assault follows recent attacks in neighbouring Otukpo Local Government Area, where armed assailants reportedly burnt houses. Benue, one of Nigeria’s key agricultural states, has experienced persistent violence linked to armed groups and disputes over land and grazing, resulting in deaths, displacement, disrupted farming activities and a worsening humanitarian situation.