Gunmen killed 23 people in four separate attacks in Nigeria’s central Benue state, a Red Cross official said on Sunday, marking the latest outbreak of violence in the restive region. The assaults occurred on Saturday night across four villages.
Clashes between nomadic herders and farmers over land use are frequent in central Nigeria, often fueled by ethnic and religious divisions. Anthony Abah, secretary of the Red Cross in Benue state, confirmed the death toll to Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing reports from field officers.
"At least 23 people were killed in the attacks," Abah said. The victims included eight in Ukum, nine in Logo, and three each in Guma and Kwande. Several others were wounded.
A police spokeswoman said she had no knowledge of the incidents. Some of the targeted areas had been attacked just over a month earlier, leaving at least 56 dead.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired state electricity manager now living near one of the affected villages, told AFP he had heard of three deaths, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle. "The herdsmen took their bike," he said. Kangeh also noted the presence of Chinese gold miners in the region but questioned why only local communities faced violence.
"The attacks didn’t happen near mining sites," he said. "Yet indigenous people are consistently targeted, while the Chinese miners operate without incident."
The violence reflects wider instability in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where predominantly Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers compete for dwindling land. Climate change and population growth have intensified these disputes, turning them into deadly confrontations.
In early April, similar attacks in neighboring Plateau state left more than 100 dead. Authorities have struggled to curb the bloodshed, which increasingly carries ethnic and religious undertones.