At least 45 villagers were killed in a dawn raid today by suspected herdsmen in Nigeria’s central Benue state, a police spokesman and a legislator said.
“I confirm that 45 people, including women and children, were killed this morning in an attack on Egba village… of Benue state by suspected herdsmen,” state police spokesman Austin Ezeani said.
“Several others were injured in the gun and machete attack,” he added.
Hundreds of people have been killed in attacks and reprisal attacks between farmers and ethnic Fulani herdsmen in the past few years in Benue state.
A state parliamentarian from the local area, Audu Sule, gave a death toll of about 50 from the attack.
“Around 50 people were killed in Egba village in my constituency in an early morning attack. The gunmen came in large numbers, all armed with AK47 rifles,” he said.
He also said women and children were among those killed.
Check Also
The Western Balkans At A Crossroads: An Old War From In New Geopolitical Compositions (Part II) – OpEd
The Western Balkans is transforming into one of the primary fronts of confrontation between global …