Guerrilla-Style Night Raids Kill Dozens in Benue and Plateau

Overview

• Suspected armed gunmen carried out late-night and early-morning raids over the weekend that community and media tallies put at about 27 dead across Benue and Plateau, including attacks in Otukpo-Nobi, Akpachi and Kum and Wereng-Camp.
• Police in Benue confirmed eight fatalities from Sunday’s suspected terrorist attack in Otukpo and said the assailants used guerrilla tactics by striking then fleeing into nearby forests, complicating pursuit and arrest.
• In Plateau, residents and local leaders reported that gunmen killed at least nine members of one family, including a two-month-old baby, during a late Saturday night assault in Riyom Local Government Area.
• Outrage in Otukpo prompted youths to carry victims’ bodies to the Och'Idoma palace and block roads, while governors, opposition figures and Amnesty International have demanded stronger security and impartial probes.
• The violence follows the June killing of the Benue MACBAN chairman, has displaced villagers and deepened fears of reprisal cycles, and humanitarians warn the attacks are worsening protection and aid needs in rural communities.