Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A wave of grief and outrage has swept through the Abaushwa community in Nzorov Council Ward of Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, the hometown of former Governor Samuel Ortom, following a brutal attack by suspected armed herdsmen that claimed four lives and left several others injured on the night of Monday, August 3, 2026. The assailants stormed the village at about midnight while residents were asleep, forcing open doors and killing victims inside their own homes in what community leaders have described as a completely unprovoked assault. According to a community source who spoke to Vanguard, three persons were killed during the initial attack, while several others sustained injuries and were rushed to the General Hospital in Gbajimba. One of the injured later died, bringing the death toll to four. Several residents are still missing, and search efforts are ongoing, with the community hoping they will be found alive.
Reacting to the incident, a native of the area and former Executive Secretary of the Benue State Teaching Service Board, Dr. Frank Kyungun, who visited the community alongside former Governor Ortom and other prominent indigenes, described the attack as unprovoked and barbaric. He revealed that the community had taken extraordinary measures to avoid conflict, including resolving long ago to stop eating beef and removing it from local markets. "Even when our farmlands are destroyed by grazing cattle, our people have continued to exercise restraint. We cannot understand why innocent people should be killed without any provocation. It is a sad and painful development," Kyungun said. Former Governor Samuel Ortom, whose hometown has been a recurring target of such attacks, joined community leaders in condemning the assault and calling for calm while urging security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation.
The Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Morris Orwough, also condemned the attack in a statement, describing the incident as heartbreaking and unacceptable. He expressed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured. Orwough disclosed that security personnel had been deployed to Abaushwa to restore peace, protect lives and property, and prevent further attacks. He urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies, and continue to provide credible information that would assist efforts to tackle insecurity in the area.
Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command said four persons were killed in the attack. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondona, stated: "I can confirm that there was an attack in Guma LGA in which four persons were killed by suspected bandits. Investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice." The attack on Abaushwa community is the latest in a long history of violence that has plagued Benue State, where farmer-herder conflicts have claimed thousands of lives and displaced countless families over the years. Despite repeated calls for peace and the enactment of the state's anti-open grazing law, attacks have continued unabated, with communities in Guma and Logo local government areas bearing the brunt of the violence. For the people of Abaushwa, the midnight raid is a stark reminder of the fragility of their peace and the urgent need for decisive action to end the cycle of bloodshed.
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