A woman has reportedly been killed by suspected herdsmen in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, exactly one year after her husband was murdered by the same assailants.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has been described by locals as a “black Sunday,” highlighting the escalating insecurity in the Middle Belt region. Residents say the woman’s husband fell victim to a similar attack last year, leaving the community in renewed shock and grief.
Eyewitnesses and community members told reporters that the assailants, armed with sophisticated weapons, have been moving openly across villages under the pretext of grazing, despite the state’s ban on open grazing. The woman’s death has further heightened fear, with several residents reportedly fleeing the Ndzorov Council Ward, leaving entire villages deserted.
“The situation is alarming. Our communities are being overrun, and people are dying almost daily,” a local resident lamented, urging authorities to act swiftly to restore security.
The rising wave of violence in Guma and neighbouring Kwande Local Government Area has drawn renewed calls for urgent intervention by federal and state authorities. Community leaders warn that the continued influx of armed herders into rural settlements poses a severe threat to lives and property.
Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Command for confirmation were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
