Eight killed in Otukpo attacks, residents protest

At least eight people were killed in a series of attacks on communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, sparking widespread protests as residents carried victims' bodies to a traditional ruler's palace to demand government action. The violence, which authorities described as a terrorist attack, occurred in the early hours of Sunday, July 12, 2026.

According to police and local officials, the attacks targeted the Otukpo-Nobi and Akpachi communities. Benue State Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu confirmed that eight people, comprising five adults and three children, were killed. He stated that the assailants employed guerrilla tactics, striking between approximately 3 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. before fleeing into nearby forests.

The killings triggered immediate outrage. Angry residents blocked the Enugu-Otukpo and Makurdi-Otukpo highways and later marched to the palace of the paramount ruler of the Idoma nation, the Och'Idoma, His Royal Majesty Agabaidu Elaigwu John Odogbo. Protesters brought corpses of some victims to the palace, voicing frustration over persistent insecurity. One protester, Comfort Inalegwu, said she lost her sister and two children in the attack.