Otukpo Council declares curfew as residents protest deadly attack

The Northern Senators Forum has backed President Bola Tinubu’s recently announced expansion of the Nigerian Army divisions, describing the move as a critical response to the worsening wave of killings that has claimed dozens of lives in Benue and Kaduna states.
   
The senators condemned the latest attacks on communities in the two states, warning that persistent bloodshed underscores the urgent need for a stronger and better-equipped security architecture.
   
Similarly, the Otukpo Local Council of Benue State has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew following Tuesday’s deadly attack on the Efeyi community in Ugboju, which left over 22 people dead.
   
The curfew, which runs daily from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., was announced by the Chairman of the council, Maxwell Ogiri, after protests erupted in parts of the council area over the killings.
   
Also, residents said the death toll has continued to rise, with over 22 bodies recovered and over 35 persons receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the attack.
   
In the meantime, the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for permanent security formations in vulnerable communities following the killing of over 30 residents in the Kauru council area.
   
In a statement by its chairman, Caleb Ma’aji, the association described the attack as a barbaric assault on innocent civilians and a serious violation of the sanctity of human life.
   
In a statement by its Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, the forum expressed outrage over the attacks on the Efeyi community in Ugboju, Otukpo Local Council Area of Benue State, where 13 people were killed, and Naridon Village in Kauru Local Council Area of Kaduna State, where about 30 persons, including women and children, lost their lives.
   
Condoling the governments and families who lost loved ones in both states, the forum said President Tinubu’s expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions, alongside the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, demonstrated a renewed commitment to confronting the country’s growing security challenges.
   
According to them, the expansion will strengthen operational capacity, improve response times to security threats, enhance border protection and provide wider strategic coverage across the country.
   
However, they stressed that increasing troop numbers alone would not deliver the desired results unless matched with adequate funding, modern equipment, reliable logistics, actionable intelligence and improved welfare for military personnel.
   
The forum also urged communities to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence capable of preventing attacks before they occur, while calling on the federal government to ensure the speedy arrest and prosecution of those behind the killings, and providing humanitarian assistance and adequate support for victims and displaced persons.
   
Reaffirming its commitment to national unity and peace, the forum maintained that defeating insecurity requires sustained investment in security institutions, closer collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies, and coordinated action by all levels of government.
   
According to CAN, the attackers showed a complete disregard for humanity by targeting peaceful residents, including men, women, children and the elderly. It noted that the latest attack was another painful reminder of the repeated violence suffered by the community.
   
According to the statement, the fresh killings have once again forced the community to prepare for another mass burial.
   
“These recurring attacks show that existing security measures are not enough. We urge the government to establish permanent security formations and rapid response mechanisms in vulnerable communities to better protect innocent residents,” CAN stated.
   
It also urged authorities to deploy more security personnel, sustain military operations against criminal hideouts, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen collaboration between security agencies and local communities.
   
Ogiri said the restriction became necessary to prevent a breakdown of law and order after intelligence reports indicated that some aggrieved youths planned to move the bodies of victims to the palace of the Och’Idoma in protest.
   
According to him, security personnel have been deployed to strategic locations, including the royal palace, to forestall any attempt to vandalise public property or disrupt peace.
   
However, the Benue State Police Command said preliminary investigations showed that the attackers stormed the area to rustle cattle belonging to a resident, Peter Ambulus, before shooting at farmers and other residents while fleeing with the stolen livestock.
   
Police spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said officers were immediately deployed to the community following a distress call. She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Emenari Ifeanyi, personally led tactical teams on a clearance operation, during which the fleeing suspects allegedly ambushed security operatives.
   
According to the police, two of the suspected attackers were killed during a gun battle, while an AK-47 rifle and 15 rounds of live ammunition were recovered. She added that efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects, recover the stolen cattle and bring all those involved in the attack to justice.