Nigeria, Jan. 13 -- Suspected armed herdsmen have killed five persons in Otobi, a community in the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, residents and community leaders said on Tuesday.

Among those killed was Igbabe Ochi, a former House of Assembly candidate for the Otukpo-Akpa State Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2019 general election.

The attack occurred at about 1.30 a.m. on Tuesday, following a failed kidnap attempt in the community on Sunday night.

Local sources said the earlier incident had put residents on high alert, with community volunteers and youths conducting patrols through the night.

A resident said that the attackers struck shortly after the patrol teams withdrew around m...