Panic gripped the Ankpechi community in the Oglewu Ward of Ohimini Local Government Area, Benue State, on Thursday morning after suspected armed herdsmen launched an assault. The attackers arrived between 8 am and 9 am, firing shots that caused residents and traders to flee.
Witnesses reported that the gunmen raided several local shops, stealing food and other goods. One resident was shot during the chaos but survived and was transported to a medical facility for urgent care. The Chairman of Ohimini Local Government, Gabriel Adole, confirmed the event and described the assailants as armed herders desperate for food supplies.
Adole stated that he alerted Governor Hyacinth Alia and local security agencies immediately. Following the notification, law enforcement and security teams were dispatched to the area to secure the perimeter and search nearby vegetation for the suspects. DSP Udeme Edet, the Benue State Police spokesperson, was unavailable to provide an official statement on the matter.