Jelili Gbadamosi
Eight persons have been confirmed dead and five others injured after armed assailants attacked Otukpo-Nobi Community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State shortly after a burial ceremony.
The Benue State Police Command, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said the attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday after residents concluded the wake and burial rites of the late Mr. Adaje Okoh, an octogenarian.
According to the police, the attackers stormed the community at about 6:00 a.m. and opened fire indiscriminately, killing eight people and injuring five others. Some thatched houses and a motorcycle were also set ablaze during the attack.
However, the police casualty figure differs from accounts by some survivors and residents, who claimed that between 10 and 16 people were killed by suspected armed herdsmen.
The injured victims were evacuated to a medical facility in Otukpo for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the mortuary of the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Cletus Nwadiogbu, led tactical teams and other operatives to the community to restore calm and commence investigations.
He also ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to Otukpo-Nobi and other vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks and ensure a return to normalcy.
Security has since been reinforced in the area following protests by aggrieved youths, while the police urged residents to remain calm and provide credible information that could aid ongoing investigations.
