ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Suspected armed herders have killed four persons in a fresh ambush along Aila Odugheho road in Agatu Local Government Area, deepening fears over renewed violence in the troubled axis of Benue State.
The victims were reportedly attacked on Sunday morning while heading to a nearby community, in what residents described as a calculated roadside ambush.
A local resident, Danny Uloko, who spoke via telephone, said the attackers lay in wait before striking.
“The victims were walking along Aila Odugheho road to a nearby community when the Fulani herders ambushed them and killed them,” he said.
He identified the deceased as Ochefije Elijah Ojema, Igojuju Husaini, Odiya Ochowehi, and Ochoyoda Adejo.
READ ALSO: Suspected Bandits Allegedly Kill Soldier, Others In Benue Attack
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin Ejeh, said four persons were killed, noting that the pattern of attacks in the area has shifted.
“It is true the incident happened today (Sunday morning). Four of our people were killed,” he said.
Ejeh explained that sustained security pressure in the area has made it difficult for attackers to overrun entire communities, forcing them to adopt ambush tactics instead.
“Because of the robust security strategies we have put in place, it is now difficult to attack and overrun communities. Hence, they have resorted to ambush, which is more complex to confront,” he added.
He disclosed that clearance operations were ongoing to flush out armed elements from surrounding forests, with security operatives and local vigilantes already deployed across the area.
However, when contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive an official report of the attack.
“I am yet to get the report because I have not been able to reach the DPO in Agatu,” she said.
The latest killings come amid a surge in violent attacks in the local government area.
Only days earlier, gunmen invaded Olegabulu community in the same council, killing a traditional ruler, his wife, his son, and two others, further escalating tension across the region.