Residents of Efeyi community in Otukpo LGA, Benue State, hold an emotional mass burial for 16 victims of a July 28 herdsmen attack, as calls grow for a military barracks in Benue South.
Otukpo, Benue State — 9 August 2026
Grief and outrage swept through Efeyi community in Ugboju District, Otukpo Local Government Area, on Saturday as residents held a mass burial for 16 people allegedly killed by suspected armed herdsmen.
The victims were reportedly killed when attackers invaded the community between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on July 28, opening fire on residents and forcing many to flee in panic. Community members described the assault as sudden, brutal, and entirely unprovoked.
Family members, traditional rulers, political leaders, and religious figures gathered at the burial to pay their final respects to the victims.
A resident, Aboyi Owi, described the ceremony as one of the most painful the community had witnessed, saying the mood was heavy with grief and frustration, and suggesting the deaths could have been prevented had security responsibilities been properly discharged.
In a separate ceremony, 13 additional residents of Efeyi Ugboju were also laid to rest amid similar scenes of grief, with mourners renewing calls for stronger security in the area.
Another resident, Ebute Samson, called it one of the deadliest attacks the community has experienced and appealed to the Federal Government to act swiftly to strengthen security across Benue South, specifically urging that a military barracks be sited in the zone.
The twin burials underscore the scale of loss inflicted by the July 28 attack and add to mounting pressure on authorities to accelerate security interventions in Benue South, an area that has recorded repeated deadly attacks in recent months.
The appeal for a barracks in the zone echoes similar demands already made in Benue North, where plans for a new Army 5 Division headquarters and forward operating bases are currently underway.
As of this report, there has been no official government response to the specific calls made at the burials.
More on Benue