The death toll from attacks in Benue state, central Nigeria, has increased to 56. Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state reported this figure during a visit to two villages which were attacked by gunmen overnight from Thursday, 17 April, to Friday in 2025.
Initially, the police had reported only 17 fatalities. The governor suggested the toll may rise as search operations continue.
This surge in violence is part of a recent uptick in communal conflicts within central Nigeria, known as the Middle Belt. Earlier in the week, 11 individuals were killed by armed groups in Benue’s Otukpo region. Plateau state, located nearby in the north-central region, experienced two attacks within two weeks, leaving over 100 people dead, destruction of homes, and displacement of hundreds according to Amnesty International.
Governor Alia attributed the attacks in Benue’s Ukum and Logo local government areas to “suspected herdsmen.” The ongoing conflict between nomadic cattle herders and sedentary farmers over land use is a common issue in central Nigeria. While farmers are predominantly Christian, the herders are mainly Muslim Fulani. Environmental factors such as overgrazing, drought, and desertification, exacerbated by climate change, force herders to seek grazing lands in the more fertile southern regions of the country, leading to disputes that escalate into violent clashes. In many rural areas, the lack of law enforcement worsens the situation.
Amnesty International has criticized the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu for not addressing the violence adequately, leaving communities vulnerable to attacks.
(Edited by: Louis Oelofse)
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/nigeria-death-toll-rises-sharply-in-attacks-in-benue-state/a-72290647?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
