Benue attack leaves 15 dead as Alia orders security crackdown, church mourns slain Plateau pastor

Crime Diary

MAKURDI, Nigeria (NPA) — No fewer than 15 people have been killed and dozens injured following a fresh attack on the Saai community in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, prompting Governor Hyacinth Alia to order an immediate security crackdown and a manhunt for those responsible.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, is believed to have been carried out by suspected armed herders, described by state officials as “terrorists masquerading as herdsmen.”

The latest violence comes barely days after the killing of the Benue State chairman of Miyetti Allah, underscoring the worsening security situation across the state and raising fresh concerns over the safety of farming communities.

According to residents, the attackers stormed Saai community between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., opening fire indiscriminately on sleeping residents and forcing many others to flee into nearby bushes.

Several houses were reportedly attacked during the assault, while dozens of injured victims were evacuated to NKST Hospital in Saai. Some of the critically wounded were later referred to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi for further treatment.

Community leaders warned that the latest attack has heightened fears of further violence and displacement in the area as residents remain traumatised.

Reacting to the incident, Governor Alia condemned the killings, describing the attack as “cowardly and senseless.”

He directed security agencies to immediately deploy additional personnel to Saai and neighbouring communities to restore calm, protect lives and pursue those behind the attack.

The governor also ordered a comprehensive manhunt for the perpetrators, assuring residents that his administration would not allow criminal elements to force them off their ancestral lands.

“We will not allow the forces of darkness to drive you away from your lands or dampen your spirits,” Alia said.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding farming communities, especially as many residents have returned to their farms following the commencement of the planting season.

The governor urged security agencies to intensify operations across vulnerable communities and ensure that those responsible for the killings are arrested and prosecuted.

The attack has also drawn political condemnation.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Michael Aondoakaa, described the killings as reprehensible and unacceptable.

He called on security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that those behind the attack face justice.

Aondoakaa also criticised the Benue State Government for what he described as inadequate support for security agencies despite increased federal allocations to states following the removal of fuel subsidy.

He urged authorities at both the state and federal levels to strengthen intelligence gathering and improve security across rural communities vulnerable to repeated attacks.

The latest incident adds to a growing list of deadly attacks that have continued to plague Benue State, one of Nigeria’s major food-producing regions, where persistent violence has disrupted farming activities, displaced thousands of residents and deepened humanitarian concerns.

Meanwhile, religious leaders have continued to mourn the killing of Reverend Markus Dabo Nyam, a minister of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), who was murdered during a deadly attack on Mushere community in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on June 21.

Regional leader of COCIN, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, paid an emotional tribute to the slain cleric, describing him as a faithful shepherd who laid down his life while standing with members of his congregation during the attack.

According to Dachomo, Rev. Nyam refused to abandon his church despite the danger, choosing instead to comfort frightened worshippers and pray with them as violence engulfed the community.

“He chose to stand with his people in their darkest hour, and in doing so, he paid the ultimate price,” Dachomo said.

The 57-year-old cleric was laid to rest on June 30 in the presence of family members, church leaders, friends and members of the Christian community.

Describing the funeral as a solemn farewell to a devoted servant of God, Dachomo lamented the continued attacks on Christian communities and clergy in parts of Nigeria.

“How many more pastors must be buried? How many more innocent believers must lose their lives before the world hears our cries?” he asked.

He urged authorities to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities and bring perpetrators of religiously motivated violence to justice.

The renewed attacks in Benue and Plateau states have again highlighted the growing insecurity confronting several Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where recurring violence has claimed hundreds of lives, displaced thousands of residents and continued to threaten farming, livelihoods and regional stability.