Daniel Otera
Residents of two communities in Benue State are reeling from fresh waves of violence after suspected armed herders launched coordinated attacks on Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas on Sunday, leaving at least 43 people dead and many more injured.
The assaults, which occurred nearly simultaneously around 7pm, have reignited fears of unchecked insecurity in rural Benue, a state long considered the epicentre of Nigeria’s deadly farmer-herder conflict.
In Gwer West, the assailants targeted Tse Antswam, a community near Naka town. According to Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse, the attackers operated in guerrilla fashion and took villagers by surprise.
“As I’m speaking to you now [Monday morning], 18 corpses have been recovered. Some were butchered so badly I doubt if they’ll survive. People ran into the bush with gun wounds some even jumped into wells,” the monarch said.
He noted, disturbingly, that the attack occurred just opposite a military checkpoint on the Naka–Makurdi Road, raising questions about the effectiveness of ongoing security deployment in the region.
Local Government Chairman Victor Ormini confirmed the attack, describing it as part of a worsening cycle of violence in the area.
“It is exactly a week today that I told you about the killing of over 40 people, including a MOPOL officer, in Aondona and other communities. Now, it’s Naka. Over 14 corpses have been recovered so far,” he said.
Almost concurrently, another set of gunmen believed to be herders stormed Edikwu Ankpali in Apa LGA. According to a local resident identified as Tony, at least 25 people were killed during the Sunday night assault.
“Over 25 persons at Edikwu Ankpali were killed yesterday, and the corpses will soon be buried,” he said.
Apa LGA Chairman, Adams Ocheiga, also confirmed the incident, noting that he was heading for an on-the-spot assessment and would provide updates.
DSP Udeme Edet, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, confirmed the attacks in both LGAs but declined to give specific casualty figures.
“This is to confirm that there was an attack yesterday at Naka and Apa. Tactical teams have been deployed and are on top of the situation,” she said, adding that more details would follow pending further verification.
However, as of Monday evening, 43 deaths had been independently confirmed by traditional rulers and local government authorities across both LGAs, suggesting a higher death toll than initially acknowledged by police sources.
This latest violence follows a repeated pattern of armed herder attacks in Benue, particularly in border communities where military presence remains minimal or inconsistent.
The International Crisis Group had earlier noted in a report that the conflict between herders and farmers has expanded into a deadly and protracted crisis, especially in states like Benue, due to scarcity of land and inadequate security responses.
Between 2015 and 2023, Benue State recorded the highest number of conflict-related killings in Nigeria, according to multiple data reviews by SBM Intelligence and corroborated by Amnesty International’s later findings.
The Nigerian government has been blamed for failing to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.