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Gunmen Attack Herders, Kill 30 Cows At Ebonyi–Benue Border Community
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There is palpable tension in Ataroga, a border community between Ebonyi and Benue states, following an attack by suspected gunmen on Fulani herders, resulting in the killing of over 30 cows.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, when residents were reportedly awakened by the sound of gunshots.
Ataroga is an Izzi-speaking community located in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.
Speaking to journalists, the village head, Chief Nwedoga James, said the community was thrown into panic after gunmen invaded the area and killed several cows belonging to herders who had lived peacefully in the community for decades.
According to him, following the attack, the herders accused villagers of masterminding the incident and allegedly embarked on reprisal actions, leading to the arrest of seven community members by the police. The arrested persons were taken to Igumale, where they are currently detained.
Chief Nwedoga further alleged that the herders have since been destroying houses and looting properties in the community, and appealed to the governors of Ebonyi and Benue states, Francis Nwifuru and Hyacinth Alia, respectively, to urgently intervene.
“We were woken up early on Thursday morning by the sound of gunshots. Families ran into nearby bushes out of fear. By morning, we discovered that unknown gunmen had attacked the herders and killed about 30 cows,” he said.
“Out of fear, many villagers fled the community. Later, the police came and arrested seven people, who were taken to Igumale.”
He disclosed that despite an intervention by the Chairman of Ado Local Government Area, who appealed to the herders not to carry out reprisal attacks while investigations continued, the situation has worsened.
“We have lived peacefully with these herders for years. We are innocent, yet our houses are being destroyed and residents harassed. We are pleading with our governors to come to our rescue,” he added.
Other stakeholders, including Mr Odebe Odegu and a church leader, Mr Anthony Nwibo, described the situation as disturbing and called on leaders of the two states, as well as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, to intervene urgently.
“We are in serious trouble. The Izzi people here are treated like strangers. We are neither fully Benue nor Ebonyi. We are being accused of a crime we did not commit,” they lamented.
“Our people are being attacked, our houses destroyed, and our properties looted. Herdsmen are looting homes and harassing residents. We need urgent help,” the village head cried out.
Meanwhile, victims of the alleged looting, Mr Lawrence Ogodo, a chemist shop owner, and Mr Joseph Agashi, a provision store operator and pharmacist, said their shops were looted at Aswa Chibueze and Igwebuike markets, along with over ten other shops.
As of the time of filing this report, seven community members remain in detention, while tension remains high in the area amid fears of further violence.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani, has ordered a statewide clampdown on vehicles plying Lagos roads without number plates or with concealed registration marks, warning that offenders would be arrested and their vehicles impounded with immediate effect.
The directive, according to Fatai, formed part of measures to strengthen security architecture and prevent criminal elements from infiltrating the state through unregistered vehicles.
The CP gave the order during a strategic meeting with Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, and Commanders of Tactical Units at the Officers’ Mess, Ikeja, yesterday.
He briefed the officers on resolutions from a recent conference with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, and outlined new security measures to tighten security across Lagos.
According to Tijani, “The Inspector-General of Police emphasised the need to ensure that all vehicles plying the roads in the country have their plate numbers on them. On no occasion should anybody put a vehicle on the road without a plate number or with a covered plate number. If anybody is found driving such a vehicle, that vehicle will have to be impounded.
He observed that “Most of the vehicles being used by these criminals are either not registered at all or have their plate numbers covered. Apart from those genuinely permitted by law to cover their plate numbers, there are no other exceptions”.
CP Tijani also directed all DPOs to intensify community policing and intelligence gathering at the grassroots, stressing that effective security requires active collaboration between the police and residents.
He further disclosed that the command would sustain joint patrols and intelligence-sharing with other security agencies, particularly in border communities and along waterways, to forestall the movement of criminal elements into Lagos.
Assuring residents of the command’s readiness to tackle emerging threats, Tijani said , “ Lagos Police Command had maintained a strong intelligence network and would continue working closely with transport unions, community leaders and other stakeholders to keep the state safe. Our goal is to ensure that Lagos remains secure and that criminal elements find no space to operate.
Suspected gunmen have abducted a cleric with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), identified as Pastor Gbenga Sanny, in Ondo State.
It was gathered that Sanny was seized by three gunmen on Sunday evening in the presence of his children.
Sources who confirmed the abduction to The Nation on Monday said the incident occurred at about 7.00 p.m in front of his residence located at Ilu-Abo community in Akure North Local Government.
Sanny, who is also a staff of the Akure North Local Government Area of the state, was taken to an unknown destination by the attackers.
His wife reportedly escaped the attack.
“The three armed men reportedly came out of the nearby bush and whisked him away,” one of the sources revealed.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the police command, Jimoh Abayomi said investigation has been launched into the abduction case.
He stated that officers and tactical teams of the command have already been mobilised to the area and working to secure the safe rescue of the victim and apprehend those responsible for the crime.
A man was carried away by floodwaters at Christian Village in the Greater Accra Region on June 7, 2026, during a heavy downpour.
The victim, a father of four, reportedly slipped into a gutter while helping colleagues desilt it, and despite rescue efforts, the strong current swept him away.
Recounting the incident in a video shared by Ask Media on social media on June 8, 2026, eyewitnesses said the incident occurred while the victim and three others were clearing a heavily clogged drainage system to improve water flow during the rains.
The area is known to flood whenever there is heavy rainfall, prompting residents to regularly engage in desilting exercises.
One eyewitness said the victim lost his footing during the exercise and fell.
“He slipped and fell into the river while we were removing debris. I tried to hold him by his collar, but I couldn’t keep hold of him. The current was too strong,” the eye witness recounted.
Despite immediate attempts to rescue him, he was swept away by the raging floodwaters and has since gone missing.
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