By Ayo Kehinde
Four farmers have been killed in a deadly ambush allegedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen along the Odugbeho–Aila Road in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
The victims were reportedly returning from their farms when they were ambushed by gunmen in what residents described as another disturbing attack on agrarian communities in the state.
The deceased were identified as Ochefije Elijah Ojema, Igojuju Husaini, Odiya Ochowechi, and Ochoyoda Adejo.
Sources within the community disclosed that the attack occurred on the Odugbeho–Aila axis on Sunday morning, an area that has repeatedly witnessed violent attacks and insecurity linked to armed herders and criminal elements operating in rural communities.
The incident has thrown residents into mourning, with family members, sympathisers, and community leaders lamenting the continuous loss of lives and worsening insecurity confronting farmers in the area.
Locals said the victims had gone about their normal farming activities before they were attacked on their way home, heightening fears among residents over safety in farming settlements across Agatu.
Community stakeholders called on the Federal Government, Benue State Government, and security agencies to intensify efforts toward securing rural communities and preventing further attacks on innocent residents.
They also urged authorities to deploy more security personnel to vulnerable areas and ensure that perpetrators of violent attacks are apprehended and prosecuted.
When contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive an official report on the incident, noting that efforts to reach the Divisional Police Officer in Agatu had been unsuccessful.
“I am yet to get the report because I have not been able to reach the DPO in Agatu”, she said.
Killings linked to suspected armed herders and local militias have reportedly intensified in recent days across parts of Agatu Local Government Area, deepening fears among residents and farmers in the affected communities.
