Benue: Mourners gather as Efeyi buries 16 killed in attack

It was a day of tears and grief in Efeyi community, Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, as residents gathered on Saturday, August 8, 2026, to bury 16 people killed in a suspected armed herdsmen attack.

For the bereaved families, the mass burial was not just a ceremony. It was a painful moment of coming to terms with the sudden loss of their loved ones.

Relatives, friends, community leaders, traditional rulers, politicians and religious leaders had gathered to pay their last respects, with many seen struggling to hold back their tears as the bodies of the victims were brought out for burial.

Recall that the community was said to have been attacked at about 5 a.m. on July 28 when suspected armed herdsmen invaded the area, opened fire and killed 16 people.

At the funeral, grief hung heavily over the community as mourners prayed for the souls of the deceased and comfort for their families.

Many women were seen clad in black, while cries echoed from among the crowd.

The attack was the second major attack in the area in recent months.

A resident of the community who identified himself as Ogboji Aboje, and who was present at the burial, said the event was one of the saddest moments in the history of the community.

Aboje said: “The funeral was so touching. The atmosphere was full of sorrow. Tears were gushing down the faces of men and women. There was no one left to console the other. It was the saddest day for the people of Efeyi community. May their souls rest in peace. Amen.”

Prayers were offered by a Catholic priest before the victims, laid in white caskets, were lowered into graves dug side by side.

Women, children and men were in a pensive mood, with some wailing while others sat gazing into space.