Suspected bandits stormed Tadurga village in Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State on Monday night, killing an unconfirmed number of people, abducting several others, and rustling livestock.
According to a resident, Audu Sule, the attackers arrived in large numbers, firing indiscriminately and causing widespread panic.
“They came en masse, shooting indiscriminately, broke into shops to loot items, then went on to kill as many as they could, abduct people, and rustle our cows”, Sule said.
This latest incident threatens to undermine the relative gains made in the fight against banditry since Governor Nasir Idris assumed office.
Another resident, Abdullah Zuru, noted that the government’s sustained efforts had previously driven armed bandits away, allowing farmers to return to their fields and record a bumper harvest.
“Despite this recent attack, Zuru Emirate has been experiencing relative peace”, he added.
The spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed that he is not aware of the incident and promised to investigate and provide updates.
However, as of the time of filing this report, no official statement from the police.
Call for Support
Meanwhile, the Amir of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat of Nigeria, Alatoye Azeez, has called on Nigerians to support the efforts of the armed forces in the fight against insurgency.
said it was ungodly for citizens to conspire with criminals against frontline Nigerian soldiers.
“We can’t be colluding with bandits, terrorists, turning them against the soldiers. That is so ungodly, and that is a lack of sense of sacrifice because as they are sacrificing themselves, we also have to sacrifice ourselves by supporting them fully.
General Christopher Musa, the commander of the military, has ordered military leaders to pursue those responsible for Benue State’s recent wave of killings.  ,
We must discover their location. We must pursue them. General Musa met with traditional rulers in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, on Tuesday and gave that directive to his commanders.
“We have had some places where we believe they are preventing them from gathering.” In order to dislodge them, we’re going to pursue them. We shouldn’t wait for their arrival to avert an attack.
[Killings] The Armed Forces Are With You, CDS Assures Benue Residents
In the last few weeks, numerous people have died in the food-producing nation as a result of additional attacks, many of whom have been relocated and seriously hurt.
National protests and outrage have resulted from that.
However, the CDS has defended the Armed Forces’ efforts to restore calm to the areas by suing for peace.
The military is with you, he declared. What is happening causes us pain. It’s a personal decision for me. When our armed forces are executing people, I don’t want to be their chief of defense. No, we have visited Liberia, Sierra Leone, other nations, and brought peace. Why not in our own nation?
No member of the armed forces is going to oppose one, I can assure you of that. We’re prepared to prosecute the person if we notice anyone who is present. However, we can rely on you for our mutual support to bring about peace. We must work together to bring about peace.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a visit to the state on Wednesday in response to the recent wave of killings in the North-Central State, instructing security forces to search for the attackers and restore harmony to the communities.
President Tinubu has already sent the heads of the intelligence agencies, the National Security Advisor, the Senate and House Defense Committees, and other important members of Benue State as part of his preparation for the trip.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement released on Monday that “he is expected to hold a town hall meeting with all stakeholders during the visit.”
Air Peace has dismissed claims by the senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, that he was extorted and unfairly denied boarding, stating that the former Edo State governor did not check in online as alleged and arrived late for his scheduled flight.
Speaking on Channels Televsion’s Politics Today on Monday, Air Peace’s Operations Manager, Ayodeji Adeyemi, rejected what he described as “false allegations” made by the senator, suggesting they may have been motivated by personal reasons.
“Oshiomhole has made several allegations, and we stand by the fact that they are false. He came late for his flight — that’s already been established, and he didn’t deny it. He came to the airport requesting to board when the flight had closed,” Adeyemi said.
Adeyemi challenged the senator’s claim of checking in online before his arrival, explaining that Air Peace’s backend systems reflect all online check-ins, which automatically generate a boarding pass with seat details.
“He never checked in online. He only tried to sway public opinion by showing his phone on TV. If he truly checked in online, he should produce the boarding pass issued to him. Till now, he has not done that.
“If you check in online, your name appears on our manifest and system. He wasn’t there. We couldn’t find him on our checked-in list,” Adeyemi stated.
Commenting on the timeline, Adeyemi noted, “He came in after 6 am. Our check-in closes 45 minutes before departure — that’s standard. The flight was for 6:30 am, and at the time he arrived, the door of the aircraft was already shut.”
READ ALSO:NCAA Summons Airpeace Over Flight Disruptions
Adeyemi also addressed the viral video showing an Air Peace staff speaking with Oshiomhole in a secluded part of the terminal.
“Nobody cornered him (Oshimhole). Given his status, the official only tried to explain that since he had missed the flight, the next one was at 8:30 am, and to board that, he would need to change his ticket and pay the appropriate fees,” he said.
‘Standard Practice, Not Extortion’
On the senator’s allegations of extortion, the airline manager clarified, “When you miss a flight, you’re charged a ‘no-show’ fee under standard aviation policies. If you select a new flight, you may also pay a fare difference depending on availability and demand. That’s not extortion — it’s standard practice.”
He further pointed out that two of the women referenced by Oshiomhole as victims of the same situation were not on that specific flight.
Oshiomhole’s Claims
Meanwhile, appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Senator Oshiomhole insisted he had checked in online the night before the flight and denied arriving late.
He said, “My Air Peace ordeal symbolises Nigerians’ frustration. This rift is not between me and Air Peace. No fair-minded person can say it is. It was institutional extortion. I refused to be taken care of. I had already checked in. I arrived between 6 am and five minutes past six. The purpose of checking in online is so that you don’t have to check in again.
“I insisted that checking me in was not a secret deal. Many of those who were there were denied boarding. They were asked to pay additional charges on the spot, different from what they had paid online.
“While the manager was trying to sort me out, I said, ‘You don’t need to sort me out. Respect the rights of these people.’ A woman who paid ₦146,000 was asked to pay ₦109,900 more in order to fly. For me, they were not going to take any extra money. I refused to be isolated. Why should I be excused?”
The incident occurred last week at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, where Oshiomhole allegedly disrupted operations following his denied boarding.
Nigerian music star, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has demanded urgent and collective action against the renewed killings in Benue State, describing the situation as a “national emergency”.
In a video posted to Instagram on Sunday, the Benue-born singer expressed grief and frustration over the incessant bloodshed in his home state.
“What is going on in my state has become a national emergency. I cannot wrap my head around it. I don’t even know what to say at this point in time because it is going to be business as usual,” he lamented.
Some of the burnt houses in the Benue attack on April 15, 2025
His outcry followed fresh attacks in the state, where over 100 people were reportedly killed by suspected herders in Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area (LGA).
Another 25 were slain in Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa in Makurdi LGA.
2Baba, 49, said the situation has become “ridiculous” and called for urgent collaboration among all stakeholders.
“This thing has to stop. It has to involve everybody. Every stakeholder in this country, every stakeholder in Benue State. This is not child’s play. It’s becoming ridiculous.
“My heart is heavy. I am terribly sad, terribly angry. What is happening in Benue has gone beyond mere condemnation. Serious action needs to be taken,” he said.
READ ALSO: IGP Promises To End Benue Violence After Tinubu’s Order
His remarks have also elicited further reactions from several public figures. Nigerian rapper Olamide took to X (formerly Twitter), reposting 2Baba’s video, writing, “Prayers up for Benue.”
Comedian Ayo Makun, known as AY, added on Instagram, “We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering happening in our homeland. It’s time for us to stand together.”
Pastor Femi Lazarus urged the Federal Government to act swiftly, citing a trail of violence from “Benue to Plateau to Kaduna, Borno.”
Also weighing in, media personality Bobrisky criticised lawmakers for ignoring the killings while prioritising less critical matters.
“Senators/House of Representatives didn’t call an urgent meeting over the killings in Benue… but they can call an urgent meeting when it comes to Bobrisky. Shame!!!!” he wrote.
Meanwhile, the massacre has triggered protests in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. On Sunday, angry youths converged at the Wurukum food basket roundabout, demanding justice and condemning what they described as silence from both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The youths were later joined by a social media influencer, Martin Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The renewed attacks in Benue have left hundreds dead and displaced many. On Friday, June 14, at least 59 people—including military and civil defence personnel—were killed during a night assault on the Yelewata community.
In April, about 60 residents were slaughtered in Ukum and Logo LGAs, while another 42 people were killed in Gwer West in May.
The violence has drawn condemnation from international and national figures. Pope Leo XIV described the recent incidents as a “terrible massacre” and urged justice.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party leader Peter Obi also criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis.
L-R: Photo combo of Governor Hyacinth Alia, President Bola Tinubu and COAS Lt-Gen Olufemi Oluyede with residents of Benue protesting killings in the background
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue refuted claims that Abuja has neglected the state. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, he said President Bola Tinubu has been supportive.
“Seventeen local governments out of 23 were under siege. We fought it down to three with full Federal support. The last time we had severe attacks, three security units were sent from the Federal Government, and those who occupied local areas had to flee,” he said.
Governor Alia further blamed the state’s porous borders for the continued violence.
“We share borders with Cameroon, Taraba, and Nasarawa. The attackers are not necessarily Nigerians. A thief doesn’t just come into a community unless someone within that community helps,” he said, adding that some militia may have local collaborators within Benue.
He noted a growing shift in the pattern of violence and lamented that what began as clashes between farmers and herders has now evolved into well-armed, targeted attacks with little to no link to grazing.
“Before now, we talked about the farmer-herder crisis. Now, they come with no cattle. They attack, kill, and then others return to occupy the land,” he said.
The governor also cited intelligence reports from Nasarawa, claiming some of the terrorists may be using Benue as a passage route.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has announced plans to visit Benue State on Wednesday to condole with residents.
