In a tragic incident on Wednesday afternoon, suspected bandits attacked Ijaha Ikobi community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, killing four people, including two soldiers.
The attack occurred around 3:30 pm when residents heard sporadic gunfire within the village.
A local resident who identified himself as Adakole described the event, saying, “The incident happened around 3:30pm yesterday (Wednesday) when some residents heard sporadic gunshots within the village. Some soldiers who responded to a distress call ran into the ambush laid by the Fulani herdsmen and they killed two of them.”
Adakole named the two civilians who lost their lives as Ocheje Ngbede Sani and Aduba Paul Ogboyi. He also revealed that the armed herders made away with the weapons of the slain soldiers.
Confirming the attack, Adam Ogwola, Chairman of Apa LGA, told journalists via telephone on Thursday that the incident happened around 3:30 am on Wednesday. “I received a call that there was an attack in Ikobi community in Apa LGA, and when I called some people, there was no response from them. Later, I heard that two soldiers were killed. So this morning, they discovered the bodies of the two civilians.”
Ogwola added that the situation has since stabilized, with additional soldiers and police deployed to the area. He explained the local customs regarding the burial of victims: “Because of the culture of our people, you don’t normally keep accidental dead bodies in the mortuary. We are in the period of hit-and-run herders. When it happens, we may not allow the corpse to stay beyond 24 hours. So, they have been buried while the bodies of the late soldiers have been moved from that community, but I don’t know whether they are in the mortuary in Ugbokpo or Makurdi.”
Efforts to reach the acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Captain Lawal Osabo, and the state police spokesperson, Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.
