The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Idoma Nation, Och’etoha K’Idoma Forum Worldwide, has strongly criticised security agencies for allegedly failing to act on prior intelligence provided by the Och’Idoma, His Royal Majesty Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji, before deadly attacks on communities in Akpachi-Ugboju and Otukpo-Nobi in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Forum, signed by President General Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu and Secretary General Chief Dr. Paul Edeh, said the attacks that claimed at least 20 lives could have been prevented if security agencies had responded to the actionable intelligence communicated to them. The group described the failure to act as a “grave lapse,” insisting that while the attackers bear primary responsibility, those who ignored the warning must also be held accountable.
“The blood of every victim is therefore not merely on the hands of the assailants, but also on those who received warning and did nothing,” the statement added.
The Forum reported that no fewer than 20 people were killed, with several others injured and many still missing. Among the deceased were Onche (a driver), Ujah, Adoji, Juliet Ona, Eyum, and others. Several individuals, including Efada Ohepo and Ebedigidi, were listed among the injured.
The group also condemned what it called the selective handling of security issues, noting the arrest of innocent residents and vigilantes following the killing of Fulani leader Ardo Risku Mohammed in Ohimini, while individuals issuing threats against Idoma communities on social media were not apprehended. It further warned that armed men are currently gathering in forests around several Benue South communities, raising fears of fresh attacks if urgent action is not taken.
In an unprecedented move driven by grief, bereaved communities carried the bodies of victims to the royal palace — an action described as forbidden under Idoma tradition but taken to demonstrate the depth of their pain and frustration.
The Och’etoha K’Idoma Forum called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia to immediately deploy security personnel to vulnerable areas, arrest perpetrators and those issuing threats, release innocent detainees from the Ohimini incident, and provide relief to victims and displaced residents.
