Midnight Horror: Armed Herders Kill 7, Abduct Others in Fresh Benue Attack, Friday

FRIDAY April 25, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng

The fragile calm in Benue State was shattered yet again in the early hours of Friday as suspected armed herders stormed Agbo Vengav community in Udam, Gwer West Local Government Area, killing at least seven people, including women and a young child. Several others are feared missing.

According to locals, the attack began around 1:00 a.m. while residents were fast asleep, leaving the community in shock and mourning.

“They came without warning,” said a source who spoke under anonymity for fear of reprisal. “A little girl was killed on the spot. Her mother was taken away, and we still don’t know where she is.”

The victims were said to be among families already displaced by earlier attacks in nearby villages. “This is not the first time. We have been crying for help, but it keeps getting worse,” another resident told Daily Post.

As of the time of filing this report, search parties were combing nearby bushes in hopes of finding those still missing.

Locals say the number of casualties could rise.

Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Command’s spokesperson, Sewuese Anene, proved unsuccessful as calls to her mobile line went unanswered.

The renewed violence comes amid growing insecurity in the state, where communities across Gwer West and other local government areas have been under repeated assault from suspected herders.

With each fresh attack, the calls for federal intervention grow more desperate — but for many rural dwellers in Benue, safety remains a distant hope.