Armed Attack Kills Six Farmers in Benue State

Armed assailants attacked farming communities in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria, on Friday, killing at least six cashew farmers and prompting a swift security response amid reports of higher casualties from residents.

The incident occurred in the villages of Ojantele, Asaba, and Okpette, where victims were working on their farms or gathering fallen cashew nuts following overnight rain. Benue State Police Command spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police Edet Udeme, confirmed the attack in a statement issued Saturday in Makurdi, the state capital. She said joint teams of police, military personnel, and local youths mobilized immediately to conduct search and rescue operations in nearby forests. Those efforts led to the recovery of six bodies, with ongoing operations aimed at ensuring resident safety and apprehending the attackers.

Udeme noted that the farmers were tending their fields when the assailants struck. Benue Commissioner of Police Ifeanyi Emenari has deployed reinforcements to support a more coordinated effort in the affected areas, she added. Patrols have been intensified across the communities and the wider state to prevent further incidents and...