A church crusade held on Monday evening in Agboda community, Mararaba Udege area of Nasarawa Local Government Area, was abruptly stopped after unidentified armed men launched an attack.
The violence occurred between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to Dr. Daniel Ukpo, the crusade’s organiser, who said participants fled in panic when they heard of trouble in a nearby settlement.
During the chaos, a young motorcyclist was assaulted by the attackers and sustained a machete cut. His motorcycle was also taken. “When news of the attack reached us, confusion broke out and people began to flee,” Ukpo said, noting that the gathering could not continue due to the heightened tension.
Ukpo voiced deep alarm about the recurring security threats in the Mararaba Udege axis. He recalled a recent visit to Ochimi community where residents spoke of constant fear over their safety and the destruction of their crops. According to him, such insecurity is not new in the area.
He also criticised the low security presence, arguing that “people are being attacked on the roads and on their farms, and many cases are not reported.” He called on government authorities to reinforce security in the affected communities for the protection of residents.
Ukpo further claimed that in past incidents, religious events had been disrupted by people he described as armed herders. He expressed the frustration and helplessness felt by many locals. “The worrying part is that residents here feel defenceless. Many have nowhere else to relocate and are living in fear,” he said.
At the time of the report, no official statement had yet been issued by security agencies regarding the incident.
