Over 30 killed in central Nigeria village attacks, officials say

More than 30 people have been killed in a series of attacks on villages in central Nigeria in recent days, a local government official reported on Monday.

The violence, which unfolded between Friday and Sunday in Benue State’s Gwer West local government area, is the latest in a long-running conflict between herders and farmers over land access.

According to Ormin Torsar Victor, chairman of the local council, at least 20 people were killed on Sunday in Aondona village alone. “No less than 20 people were killed at Aondona village on Sunday,” Victor told AFP by phone. He added that more than 10 others were killed in separate attacks on nearby communities.

A resident of Aondona, Ruthie Dan Sam, confirmed the casualty figures and described the brutal nature of the killings. “Children of less than two are being killed. The worst sight is a baby macheted on its mouth,” she said. She also mentioned deaths in neighboring villages but did not provide specific numbers.

Victor also reported that he had participated in burying five victims in the village of Tewa Biana, which is located near a military base. Among the dead were a father and two of his sons.

Benue State Police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine acknowledged two attacks had occurred in the area but said her office had no confirmation of 20 deaths. She confirmed that a police officer was killed while repelling an attack and that three bodies were discovered.

The motive behind the attacks remains unclear, but Victor accused Fulani cattle herders of carrying out the “coordinated attacks.”

Clashes between Muslim Fulani herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been a recurring issue in Benue and other parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt. The conflict is often driven by disputes over land and grazing rights but frequently takes on ethnic and religious undertones.

Benue State has been among the hardest-hit regions in these ongoing confrontations, with locals frequently accusing herders of destroying farmland with their livestock.