Suspected Herdsmen Kill Four-Year-Old Boy, Two Others in Otukpo Community Attack

Suspected herdsmen opened fire in Omulonye community, located in Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area in Benue State, killing a four-year-old boy and two other people, according to reports. The assailants are said to have entered the community around 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, 2026, firing indiscriminately. The assault also wounded multiple people and drove residents to seek safety in nearby communities, it was learned. A community source described the attack as unprovoked and said it took residents by surprise. The source stated that three people were killed as residents tried to escape. The source added that the mother of the four-year-old victim was seriously hurt, and the boy's uncle was among those killed. The victims who died were buried, while those with injuries were taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo for urgent treatment, according to the source. DSP Peter Aondongu, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, confirmed the attack and the number of deaths. Aondongu also said authorities were working to identify and apprehend those responsible.