![Hon. Festus Keyamo SAN arrives MMIA past 11:50 p.m. Feb 23 to lead oversight of Terminal 1 fire. Joined FAAN MD & team actively managing situation. Directed morning inspection Tuesday to guide restoration & confirm safety standards. Reaffirmed focus on passenger safety. Story: [link] #KeyamoMMIA #FireIncident #FAAN](https://fullcliphq.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mym-150x150.jpg "MMIA Fire: Keyamo Inspects Lagos Airport After Terminal 1 Blaze Disrupts Flights")
Suspected terrorists launched a fresh assault on Anwase Market in Mbaikyor ward, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, on Friday, February 7, 2026.
The attack resulted in at least 13 deaths and the abduction of several market women, while numerous shops and stalls were set ablaze.
The carnage unfolded just two days after a similar raid on the Abande community on Tuesday, February 5, where five people—including a mobile police officer—were killed. The Anwase incident occurred on a busy trading day; assailants reportedly emerged from a nearby mountain, opening fire indiscriminately on traders and buyers.
Details of the Massacre
Ibi Andrew, an aide to the Kwande Local Government chairman, confirmed 13 deaths to Channels Television. The council chairman, Vitalis Neji, and security agencies arrived at the scene shortly after the gunmen retreated to restore order and begin the grim task of identifying victims.
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Modus Operandi: Witnesses described the attackers shooting sporadically to create panic before looting goods and torching sections of the market.
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Abductions: Several women were forcibly taken, and many families were still searching for missing relatives as of Friday evening.
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Property Damage: The arson has left many local traders without a livelihood, as stalls containing essential commodities were completely leveled.
Worsening Security Situation in Benue
The renewed violence in Kwande underscores a deteriorating security landscape in North-Central Nigeria. Residents of the Turan district told PREMIUM TIMES that persistent assaults have rendered farms and markets unsafe, forcing many to flee their ancestral homes.
Despite repeated assurances from the state government that security operations have been intensified, the back-to-back attacks in Kwande highlight critical vulnerabilities. No group has yet claimed responsibility, but the pattern suggests the involvement of armed bandits who frequently engage in kidnapping for ransom, looting, and arson.
The people of Kwande are now calling for a sustained military presence and better intelligence gathering to halt the cycle of violence before it escalates further.
