“They Killed My Husband Like a Cow”: Grief and Fury in Benue as Herdsmen Attack Multiple Villages

 

The soft cries of widows echoed across the devastated village of Edikwu Ankpali in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, where the soil still bears fresh scars from yet another round of violence allegedly perpetrated by armed herdsmen. One of those cries came from Mrs Igbe Musa, whose voice, though broken with grief, carried the weight of a community under siege.

Her story is just one among many, but it embodies the sheer brutality of recent attacks that have left villages razed, families shattered, and justice elusive. Sitting on a mat surrounded by her children—still too stunned to speak—she recounted the horrifying moment her husband was murdered.

“They killed my husband like a cow,” she sobbed to a visiting delegation from the Ochetoha K’Idoma Forum, which had come on a fact-finding mission. “He was shot, and when he didn’t die instantly, they butchered him. Right in front of our children.”

The Forum, led by its President General, Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, and Secretary General, Dr. Paul Edeh, visited the area on Tuesday, June 11, 2025, determined to document firsthand the atrocities endured by the communities. What they found was a landscape marked by destruction—and a people burning with unanswered questions.

Over the course of their visit, the delegation listened to tales of sorrow, anger, and disbelief. Community members gathered at the palace of the traditional ruler, His Royal Highness Chief John Antenyi, Odejo K’Apa, where the monarch did not mince words about what he believes is a targeted campaign against his people.

“These are not random acts of violence,” Chief Antenyi declared. “This is a systematic and deliberate attempt to erase our existence. Our people are burying their dead without help. We mourn without hope. Where is justice?”

His statement was followed by several emotional testimonies. The people of Apa LGA are no strangers to conflict, but the most recent attacks—striking multiple villages almost simultaneously—were especially devastating. According to Apostle Chief James Ohepo, the coordination of the assaults points to something far more sinister than sporadic skirmishes.

“Edikwu, Ugbobi, Ojantelle, Odugbo, Akpanta, Ikobi, and Ajegbe—they were all attacked on the same night,” he told the gathering. “Homes were destroyed, farmlands set ablaze, and people slaughtered. No help came. No security forces were seen. We were left on our own.”

Testimonies from other widows echoed the chilling pattern. Mrs Ojonungwa Onjefu spoke through tears, recalling the moment her husband was slain. “They laughed as they killed him,” she said, shaking with a mix of terror and disbelief. “As though it was a game to them.”

Mrs Omateyi Echewija, now homeless, shared how she had to flee in the dead of night with her children. Her home, like many others, was reduced to ashes. Since then, she’s been squatting with a neighbor in a nearby village, uncertain of what the future holds.

Despite the overwhelming sense of loss and abandonment, the people of Apa refuse to surrender their dignity. Youth leader Mr Amodu O. Amodu offered a defiant message to the Forum. “We are frightened, yes—but not defeated,” he said. “We have no arms. We have no protection. But we have our spirit, and we will not be wiped out.”

The delegation responded with solemn promises. Professor Ochefu described what he witnessed as nothing short of a humanitarian crisis. He assured the community that their voices would not be lost in the noise of bureaucracy.

“Your pain is valid. Your stories matter,” he said. “We have heard you, and we will act. We will engage the Benue State Government and push for intervention from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). This forum will also return with relief materials to help you rebuild.”

A tragedy of this magnitude demands more than promises—it calls for accountability. As mass graves continue to fill and the cries of the bereaved linger in the air, residents of Apa LGA are hoping that the world will not turn away this time.

Their demand is simple but urgent: justice. Whether it comes through government intervention, security reinforcements, or international attention, the people of these embattled communities say they cannot continue to endure in silence.

As Mrs Igbe Musa held tightly onto her youngest child, her words cut through the quiet like a blade: “We have lost everything, but we must not lose our voices too. Let the world know what they’ve done to us.”