At least 20 people have been killed in coordinated attacks by unidentified gunmen on multiple communities in Benue State, Nigeria, police said on Tuesday.
According to Benue police spokesperson Udeme Edet, the attacks took place late Sunday in the Gwer West and Apa local government areas. Twelve people were confirmed dead in Apa, and another ten in Gwer West. However, local sources suggest the actual death toll may be over 30. Five survivors are currently being treated at a local hospital.
Paul Biam, chief of staff to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, visited the affected communities on Monday. He assured residents that the state government is working to prevent further violence.
These latest killings come amid a surge in deadly incidents across Gwer West and Apa in recent months. Just last week, at least 20 people were killed in an attack on the village of Aondona, also in Gwer West.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the latest violence, such attacks are often linked to long-standing clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria’s central and northern regions. Farmers frequently accuse herders—mainly of Fulani origin—of letting their livestock destroy crops, while herders argue the farmlands lie along traditional grazing routes, some of which date back to legislation enacted in 1965.
