Benue State witnessed another night of bloodshed as violence continues to escalate across communities.
On Sunday, April 27, 2025, gunmen opened fire at a bar near the Okada Office in Akpehe, Makurdi, leaving more than 10 people shot and four confirmed dead at the scene. The attack came just days after similar killings were reported in the area.
While suspected herdsmen have long been linked to land seizures and deadly attacks in the state, recent incidents suggest a troubling rise in intra-community violence, possibly fueled by cult activities.
One of the victims of the attack, Gabriel Terfa Gugur was the manager of Zammo Transport, one of the leading transport companies in Makurdi. Gugur from Benue State University, Makurdi in 2021.
Earlier on Wednesday, April 23, a youth leader, Raphael Ikyav, popularly known as “Spanner,” was brutally murdered by unidentified armed men in Makurdi. Eyewitness accounts reveal that about four attackers stormed his shop along Akpehe Road, engaging him in a heated confrontation before stabbing him multiple times.
The motive behind the attacks remains unclear as authorities continue investigations.
