More than 1,000 people have fled their homes after suspected armed gunmen attacked a rural community in Nigeria’s north-central Benue State, local authorities said on Thursday.
The attackers entered Ankpechi community in Oglewu District, Ohimini Local Government Area, early on Thursday, forcing residents to abandon their homes and seek shelter in neighbouring communities.
The village is located along the Otukpo–Ogobia Road, near Ondo-Ugboju in neighbouring Otukpo Local Government Area, where armed assailants recently burned several houses.
Gabriel Adole, chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, confirmed the attack, saying security forces had been deployed to prevent further violence.
“The attackers invaded the community on Thursday morning,” Adole told reporters in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
He said more than 1,000 displaced residents were now taking refuge in nearby communities, although there were no immediate confirmed reports of casualties.
The assault comes days after deadly attacks in Otukpo Local Government Area and underscores the deteriorating security situation across parts of Benue State.
Armed groups have repeatedly targeted rural communities in the region, killing residents, destroying homes and forcing thousands of people to flee.
Benue is one of Nigeria’s main agricultural states and plays a major role in the country’s food production. However, years of violence involving armed groups, farming communities and disputes over land and grazing routes have disrupted agriculture and deepened an already severe displacement crisis.
The recurring attacks have left many farming communities unable to cultivate their land, raising concerns over food supplies and worsening humanitarian conditions across the state.