Suspected herdsmen attacked Anwase community in Mbakyor Council Ward, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State on Wednesday, killing at least five people and injuring three others.
Military personnel responding to the situation were ambushed, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers. A Mobile Police officer, and two farmers were also killed.
Another soldier, who sustained gunshot wounds, is receiving medical treatment alongside three survivors.
A resident, Vershima, who narrated the incident to News Central TV, stated that a large portion of Mbakyor is now occupied by herdsmen, who have taken over farmlands while the original inhabitants remain displaced.
“More than 80% of Mbakyor has been taken over by herdsmen, placing our people in a difficult situation,” he said.
The latest attack follows a series of violent incidents in Benue. On Christmas Day 2024, herdsmen killed 30 people in an assault, and another attack on New Year’s Day resulted in more than 50 deaths, with homes and property set on fire.
Since the beginning of 2025, over 15 attacks have been recorded, each leaving at least four people dead.
The attackers also targeted Mbagbye and Mbater in Iyav Council Ward, where they killed three people.
The assault lasted from the afternoon until the evening, forcing many residents to abandon their homes and seek refuge in public spaces in nearby town called Jato Aka.
There has been no official statement from security agencies regarding the incident.
