No fewer than nine people have been confirmed dead, eight of them gruesomely slaughtered, while six others remain missing after armed men attacked Nindama village in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the community around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, October 10, shooting sporadically and killing residents in their homes. Two other victims sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment in a nearby hospital. The attack, described as coordinated and brutal, left the small farming community in shock and mourning.
Security agencies, including the army, police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), have since launched a joint operation to rescue the missing residents and apprehend the perpetrators. The Executive Chairman of Kokona Local Government Area, Hon. Agbawu M. Agbawu, led a combined security team to the scene later that day, confirming that the remains of the victims had been evacuated to the mortuary. Preliminary investigations, according to local authorities, point to a lingering land dispute as a possible cause of the attack.
As of press time, tension remains high across the affected communities, with residents fearing possible reprisal attacks. Many villagers have begun fleeing to nearby settlements for safety, while security operatives have increased patrols to prevent further violence. The Nasarawa State Government is yet to issue an official statement, though community leaders have appealed for calm and urged the authorities to ensure that justice is served.
Meanwhile, the Tiv Youth Organisation (TYO) has condemned the gruesome murder of Miss Favour Akaaza of Imon community, Adudu Chiefdom in Obi Local Government Area. Akaaza was reportedly abducted from her residence at Ombi Anzaku along Kwandere Road and later killed by suspected armed Fulani men, who have since been arrested and confessed to the crime. Describing the act as “barbaric and inhuman,” the group called for swift prosecution of the suspects, stressing that such acts of violence threaten the peace and security of rural communities across Nasarawa State.
