Five persons, including the house of assembly candidate for Otukpo-Akpa state constituency on the platform of the peoples democratic party in the 2019 general election, Mr Igbabe Ochi and four others, have been killed in another attack on Otobi community, in Otukpo local government area of Benue state
The attack which happened at about 1.30am on Tuesday morning, followed Sunday’s night kidnapping attempt at Ekwu-Ora’Odaba in Otobi but was foiled by the community volunteers guards commander, Mister Ocheme Jackson and his team, prompting a high security alert in the community
Local sources confirm that, the community has been singled out by suspected herder for attacks, following the killing of Thirteen persons on the 15th of April 2025 and another attack that claimed three more lives in May 2025
” Following Sunday’s Kidnap attempt, community volunteers guard members with the support of youths in the area, kept patrol and surveillance team across the community up until 12.00am om Tuesday morning before retiring to rest”
The sources further notes that, ” When the surveillance team from the railway crossing into Ijami part of Otobi pulled back to rest, at about 1.30am, the gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, stormed the community and started shooting, killing Five persons in the process and looted foodstuff and other valuables “.
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The Otobi community development association, John Anyebe says, the attackers came through the railway station bridge from Ijami part of Otobi and headed to where the victims where sitting not far from the transformer junction
” Yes, the attack is carried out by suspected herdsmen who have been terrorizing our community, shooting one persons close to water board before heading to where Honourable Igbabe Ochi and Four others were seated and open fire on them, looting the stores around for food and other valuables”.
At the time of filing this report, the police public relations officer, Udeme Edet, is yet to respond to enquiries on the Otobi Killings
The lawmaker representating Otukpo-Akpa state constituency, Mister Kennedy Angbo lament the persistent attacks on his constituency, noting that, on Sunday traveller’s on a Benue links bus were attacked at Burnt bricks Otukpo where three persons were hospitalized from the incident
” You can imagine that Five out of my people have been killed again at Otobi community of Akpa district, barely a year after the killing of Thirteen persons on April 15th 2025″.
” On Sunday at about 7.00pm, around Burnt bricks Otukpo, these gunmen opened fire on traveller’s, injuring three persons and it was just God protecting them from previous fatality, so I am calling on the security agencies to do more on intelligence gathering and counter operations to flush out these terrorists from our surroundings, he adds”.
