At least 15 villagers have been killed after suspected terrorists attacked residents harvesting cashew nuts in Ojantele community, Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to local sources, the incident occurred on Friday when villagers—mostly women and young people—went to farms in the Ogbaulu area to collect cashew nuts that had fallen following overnight rainfall.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers suddenly emerged and began firing sporadically at the unarmed farmers.
A resident who spoke to journalists by phone from Makurdi said the assailants shot indiscriminately, leaving many victims dead on the spot.
“So far, about 15 bodies have been recovered,” the resident said, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
The source also disclosed that at least 11 people sustained injuries during the attack and were rushed to a hospital in Ugbokpo, the headquarters of Apa Local Government Area.
Residents further reported that several villagers remain missing after the assault, including a woman believed to have been abducted by the attackers.
Community members alleged that the assailants arrived with a large herd of cattle and began shooting as farmers and villagers returning from their farms fled for safety.
The chairman of Apa Local Government, Adams Ochega, confirmed the attack in a telephone conversation but said he had yet to obtain full details as he was away on official duty when the incident occurred.
As of the time of reporting, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, had not responded to calls and text messages requesting comments.
Residents say the latest attack has heightened fear among farming communities as the planting season approaches.
One community member said many villagers are now reluctant to return to their farms due to security concerns.
“The rainy season is coming and people should be preparing their land, but many are afraid to go to the bush because of the attacks,” the resident said.
Another farmer warned that the continued violence could worsen hunger in the area.
“We rely on farming to survive. If farmers cannot go to their fields, food shortage will follow,” he said.
The latest incident comes only days after another deadly attack in Kwande Local Government Area, where suspected gunmen killed at least 13 people in Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities on March 6.
Following that attack, the governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, condemned the killings, describing them as “barbaric, senseless and unacceptable,” and directed security agencies to intensify efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Security analysts say the recurring violence in the state is linked to a combination of armed banditry, longstanding tensions between farmers and herders, and inadequate security presence in rural communities.
They also note that attacks on farmers during planting and harvesting seasons are becoming more frequent in parts of the state, threatening livelihoods and food production in Benue State, widely regarded as Nigeria’s food basket.