At least five people have been confirmed dead and many others are missing following a deadly attack by armed terrorists on the Ortese community in Benue State. The assault occurred on Tuesday along the Igyungu Aze–Yogbo road in Guma Local Government Area.
Local sources reported that the attack left several residents injured, while an unconfirmed number were abducted and taken to an unknown location. The victims whose bodies have been recovered include Solo Uchi from Tse Hagher, who was killed on his farm; Alhaji Iorlaha from Orogbo; and Tersoo Uker from Tse Uker. Two additional bodies were later found in nearby bushes.
A resident who spoke anonymously due to security concerns described the scene as “frightening,” noting that the assault took place just two days after a similar attack in Daudu, where two people were killed.
“They blocked the road completely and started shooting,” a youth leader in the area recounted. “Some people were killed instantly, while others ran into the bushes where they were chased.”
Residents alleged that the attackers barricaded the Ortese–Yogbo road, ambushing travelers and those attempting to flee into surrounding bushland. Community youths are currently conducting search operations in the area, amid fears that the death toll may rise as more people remain unaccounted for.
These recurring violent attacks in Benue have drawn international attention, with the U.S. government previously citing the region’s violence as part of broader claims of religious and ethnic targeting in Nigeria.
Local authorities and security agencies have yet to release an official statement regarding the attack or the ongoing search for the missing.