At least 17 people were killed when suspected cattle herders launched attacks on communities in central Nigeria's Benue State on Thursday, police confirmed. The assault is part of a worrying resurgence in violent clashes between farmers and herders, which have long plagued the region.
The violence came just days after a separate attack in Otukpo, Benue, that left 11 dead, and a week after gunmen attacked villages in neighboring Plateau State, resulting in over 50 deaths. These recent attacks highlight the ongoing tension and instability caused by years of confrontations over land and resources between farmers and herders.
The clashes have severely disrupted food supplies in north-central Nigeria, a critical agricultural region. According to SBM Intelligence, over 500 people have died in these conflicts since 2019, with more than 2.2 million people displaced by the violence.
On Friday morning, a group of suspected herdsmen attacked farmers in Gbagir, located in Benue’s Ukum Local Government Area, killing five. Police were in the process of confronting the attackers when they came under fire. Simultaneously, another 12 individuals were killed in an attack in Logo local council area, about 70 kilometers away. Police are continuing their efforts to address the violence in the region.
Read next
09:45
Armed herdsmen attacked the Otobi community in Nigeria’s Benue State on Tuesday, killing seven people and injuring over 20, a day after gunmen killed 51 in neighbouring Plateau State.
10:07
Authorities in Nigeria’s Borno state have called for stronger security after a deadly landmine blast left several bus passengers dead and others critically injured.
16:41
Nigeria has reported five new deaths from Lassa fever, bringing the total fatalities this year to 100. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) noted an increase in confirmed cases, with 236 new suspected cases and 29 confirmed across 13 states.
22:18
Netherlands has become the latest European country to return artefacts to Africa after it signed an agreement pledging to return 119 'stolen' historical artefacts to Nigeria after extensive consultation with its Colonial collections committee.
10:59
At least 23 people were killed when a truck carrying passengers and goods overturned in the northern Nigerian city of Kano. The driver lost control, causing the truck to plunge into an underpass in the Hotoro district on Thursday night.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment