At the least 44 killed in assaults in Nigeria’s Benue state, says native official

At the least 44 individuals have been killed in separate assaults in latest days in central Nigeria, an area authorities official stated Tuesday (Could 27, 2025), elevating the toll within the newest raids in a area the place herders and farmers usually conflict.
The assaults occurred in three villages between Friday and Monday, the chairman of the Gwer West native authorities space of Benue state, Ormin Torsar Victor, advised AFP.
Motives for the violence weren’t clear, however Mr. Victor blamed the “coordinated assaults” on Fulani cattle herders.
Muslim ethnic Fulani nomadic herders have lengthy clashed with settled farmers, a lot of whom are Christian, in Benue over entry to land and sources.
“As of right this moment morning I handed by Aondona, they have been mentioning 14 our bodies which were recovered, together with a pregnant girl and a boy of two,” he advised AFP, including that 30 others have been killed in Ahume.
“Yesterday night one individual was killed, the quantity retains rising by the day. Even now I believe some corpses haven’t but been found,” he stated, calling the assaults “systematic”.
The victims have been both shot or stabbed, he stated.
He stated the “pregnant girl was macheted” whereas the two-year-old boy was “mutilated”. A Catholic priest was shot and wounded whereas driving alongside the Markudi-Naka highway, the church and the native authorities official stated. They shot him and left him there pondering he was useless,” stated M.r Victor, including that two passengers that have been with him have been “kidnapped.
In a name for prayers for the wounded priest posted on Fb, the church stated he was shot by “suspected terrorist herdsmen”.
‘Coordinated assaults’
A resident of Aondona, Ruthie Dan Sam, advised AFP late on Monday that “20 individuals have been killed right here in Aondona”. “Youngsters of lower than two are being killed. The worst sight is a child macheted on its mouth,” she stated.
She added that different individuals had been killed in neighbouring villages, however stated she had no figures.
Mr. Victor stated he and different locals had buried 5 individuals, together with a father and two of his sons killed within the village of Tewa Biana “very near a army base”.
Benue state police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine confirmed two assaults within the space however stated her workplace had acquired “no report of 20 individuals” killed.
She stated that one raid resulted within the demise of a policeman who had “repelled an assault” and that “three useless our bodies have been found”.
The assaults in Nigeria’s so-called Center Belt usually tackle a spiritual or ethnic dimension.
Benue has been one of many states hit hardest by such violence between nomadic herders and farmers who blame herdsmen for destroying farmland with their cattle grazing.
Printed – Could 27, 2025 08:22 pm IST