17 Killed in Armed Attacks in Nigeria

At least 17 people were killed in central Nigeria after suspected armed herders launched separate attacks on local communities in Benue State, according to police authorities.

The violence marks a renewed escalation in the long-running conflict between farmers and herders in the region.

The attacks occurred on Thursday and Friday in two separate locations. In the early hours of Friday, suspected herders opened fire on residents in the Gbajir area of Okpokwu Local Government Area, killing five farmers. Police forces responding to the scene were met with gunfire from the attackers.

While security personnel were engaging the assailants in Okpokwu, another deadly assault took place roughly 70 kilometers away in Logo Local Government Area, where 12 more people were killed. Authorities believe both incidents are part of a broader wave of targeted violence linked to land disputes between herding communities and farming populations.

Benue State, located in Nigeria’s North Central region, has been one of the hardest-hit areas in the ongoing farmer-herder conflict. Clashes have repeatedly disrupted agricultural activities in the region, which is critical to the country's food supply.

These recent attacks follow the killing of 11 people in Otukpo earlier in the week and come just a week after gunmen killed over 50 residents in Plateau State, further fueling concerns about deteriorating security in Nigeria’s central belt.

Reports indicate that more than 500 people have lost their lives in farmer-herder conflicts in Benue State since 2019. The violence has also displaced an estimated 2.2 million people across the region.