Ochetoha K’Idoma, a socio-cultural organisation of the Idoma Nation, has called on the military to take decisive action against attackers on the Akpa Otobi community in Benue State that claimed four lives, including a serving member of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

In a press statement signed by Professor Yakubu A. Ochefu, President General of Ochetoha K’Idoma, and Chief Dr Paul Edeh, Secretary General, made available to Tribune online, condemned the attack carried out on New Year’s Day.

It described the attack as “a brutal and unprovoked attack”

According to an Emergency Situation Report issued by the Benue State Civil Protection Guards at the Benue South Headquarters, suspected armed herdsmen kidnappers invaded Akpa Otobi and adjoining settlements, opening fire indiscriminately at a local provision shop while attempting to procure supplies for persons held captive in nearby forests.

Ochetoha K’Idoma said, “the circumstances surrounding the attack showed clearly that it was neither accidental nor spontaneous”.

“It is evident that this was not a random criminal act but a deliberate and calculated operation carried out with full knowledge of the terrain, reflecting the growing boldness of armed groups operating within our homeland,” the statement said.

The organisation disclosed that those killed included a former Local Government Councillor known for grassroots leadership and community service, as well as a serving member of the Nigerian Armed Forces who was on authorised leave at the time of the attack.

Reacting to the killing of the soldier, Ochetoha K’Idoma warned of its wider national implications, stating that “the killing of a serving soldier on Nigerian soil, in his own community, constitutes a direct challenge to the authority, credibility, and sovereign responsibility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

While extending condolences to the bereaved families and the Idoma Nation, the organisation noted that the Akpa Otobi incident was part of a broader and sustained pattern of violence across Idoma land.

“This tragedy must be understood within a wider and deeply troubling context,” the group said, adding that repeated attacks along the same axis have placed communities under siege.

“Farmers can no longer access their farms, traders are unable to move goods to market, and entire rural economies have been paralysed through fear and displacement.”

Ochetoha K’Idoma further described the situation as “a systematic campaign of economic and territorial destruction designed to empty communities, sever people from their land, and establish criminal control over forests and transit corridors within the Idoma Nation.”

The organisation also raised alarm over the spread of the threat beyond Akpa Otobi, warning that other parts of Benue South were increasingly exposed.

“In the same vein, Agatu, Apa, and Ado Local Government Areas are witnessing growing inflows of armed herdsmen. This expanding threat requires immediate and preemptive action by security agencies to prevent further loss of lives and destabilisation of Benue South,” the statement said.

Reaffirming its commitment to the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria, Ochetoha K’Idoma stressed that loyalty to the state must be matched by the fulfilment of constitutional duties. “The protection of lives and property is the foremost duty of government, and any failure in this regard erodes public confidence and national cohesion,” it noted.

The organisation rejected any suggestion that affected communities should accept their plight, declaring that “no community should feel abandoned, and no citizen should be made to believe that their life is negotiable within the Nigerian Federation.”

On security measures, Ochetoha K’Idoma called for a shift from reactive deployments to sustained military action, including “coordinated aerial and ground operations to clear ungoverned spaces, dismantling of known terror corridors from the Otobi axis through Ohimini and Otukpo Nobi to Raav in Gwer, and the establishment of permanent, well-equipped security outposts to hold territory and prevent reoccupation by criminal elements.”

In its concluding remarks, the organisation declared that the Idoma Nation would not succumb to fear. “We will not be intimidated or displaced. We demand justice for the victims, protection for our communities, and the peace and security guaranteed by the Constitution,” the statement said.

Ochetoha K’Idoma added that it remained ready to engage constructively with the Federal Government and security institutions to restore peace and stability across Idoma land, stressing that “this moment calls for decisive leadership and action, as the response of the state will stand as a measure of its resolve to protect its citizens and maintain territorial control.” (TRIBUNE)

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