By Parrot Newspaper 
Herdsmen Kill Newlywed Soldier, Others in Benue
By Parrot Investigative Desk | Apa, Benue State
A night of horror descended on Ikobi-Ochekwu, a quiet farming community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, as suspected herdsmen launched a coordinated and deadly assault late Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction and grief in their wake.
Residents told Parrot Newspaper that the attackers arrived under the cover of darkness, around 11 p.m., firing indiscriminately and torching homes. Eyewitnesses say the siege lasted several hours without any immediate security intervention, forcing many to flee into the surrounding bush for safety.
“It was a nightmare. They came in shooting and burning houses. People ran in different directions. Some are still missing,” said Ochofie, a local resident who narrowly escaped with his family.
While the full scale of the casualties is yet to be confirmed, preliminary reports suggest several villagers were killed, among them a young soldier who had recently returned home after getting married. His identity has not been officially disclosed, but multiple sources confirmed his death as symbolic of the growing vulnerability of even security personnel in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden zones.
On Thursday morning, residents discovered two additional bodies near the neighboring community of Ijaha. They were identified as Sani Ngbede and Aduba Paul Ogboyi. Locals fear more corpses may be found in the days ahead, as dozens remain unaccounted for.
Despite repeated attacks in Apa and surrounding areas in recent months, community leaders say government response remains grossly inadequate. A village elder, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as “a calculated attempt to displace the indigenous population.”
Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the incident, and no arrests have been made at the time of filing this report.
The attack on Ikobi-Ochekwu underscores the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where ethnic and resource-based violence continues to spiral, often with little warning and devastating consequences for rural communities.
Herdsmen Kill Newlywed Soldier in Benue
Parrot Newspaper will continue to monitor the situation and press for answers from relevant authorities.