Gunmen kill at least 100 people in Nigeria's Benue state, Amnesty International says
June 14 (Reuters) - At least 100 people have been killed in an attack by gunmen on a village in Nigeria's central Benue state, Amnesty International Nigeria said Saturday.
The attack took place from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday in the village of Yelewata, the group said in a post on social media platform X.
"Many people are still missing...dozens injured and left without adequate medical care. Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms," the post added.
Benue is in Nigeria's Middle Belt, a region where the majority Muslim North meets the largely Christian South.
The region faces competition over land use, with conflicts between herders, who seek grazing land for their cattle, and farmers, who need arable land for cultivation. These tensions are often worsened by overlapping ethnic and religious divisions.
Last month, at least 42 people were shot dead by suspected herders in a series of weekend attacks across Gwer West district in Nigeria's central Benue state.
Since 2019, the clashes have claimed more than 500 lives in the region and forced 2.2 million to leave their homes, according to research firm SBM Intelligence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Benue killings: What you need to know about Nigeria's herder-farmer conflict
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to bring an end to a wave of killings in the central Benue is believed that more than 200 people have died in a series of attacks across various communities in the last few days described the killings as "inhuman and anti-progress". He was speaking after hundreds stormed the streets of the state capital Makurdi to protest against the say thousands have been forced to flee their homes. How serious is the violence in Benue? This not a new problem but it has escalated analyst Kabir Adamu, head of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, told the BBC that according to their database, 1,043 people were killed in Benue between May 2023 and May state has been at the centre of a violent conflict between herders and farmers that has led to the killing of thousands of civilians and many members of the security forces in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt going back many years. Herders, mostly from the Fulani ethnic group, move around to find food for their cattle, bringing them into conflict with the owners of farms, who say the cattle trample their crops and pollute water sources. Some of them are armed with powerful guns, saying they need to protect themselves from cattle the farmers often blame the Fulanis for the violence, one of the community's leaders, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, told the BBC that his people were not behind the killings in Benue.'Our people are not behind the Benue killings, we know there are some unresolved issues in Benue which have been there for some time.'But we have never allowed any of our people to attack or kill others,' he authorities have not blamed any group but it is safe to assume that there are lots of victims on both sides, as any attack usually leads to revenge and then a cycle of violence. What is behind the violence? The ongoing insecurity in Benue State is a complex issue stemming from a mix of economic, environmental, socio-political, and governance factors."Environmental degradation, notably climate change-induced desertification and irregular rainfall patterns in Nigeria's northern regions, plays a critical role," says analyst Mr Adamu."These pressures compel herders to migrate southward... including Benue State, where resources are already strained."Rapid population growth in these areas further intensifies the competition for limited land and water, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of environmental stress, migration, and conflict escalation," he is an additional factor as the Fulanis are mostly Muslim while the farming communities in Benue are also blame the authorities for not providing more security or coming up with policies that address the economic needs of both communities. What is the government doing about the conflict? Both the state and national governments have tried various policies over the years but none have proved successful Adamu says a federal joint task force was launched in 2018 and then another one last month, the Forest Guards."This national system aims to recruit armed operatives to secure forest reserves from terrorists and criminals."Public affairs analyst Sam Philip, who lives in Makurdi, says the conflict has not been getting the attention it deserves for years, with the government focusing on other security crises like the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east, the demand for secession in parts of the south-east and a wave of kidnapping for ransom in the north-west."I feel this issue has been ignored for long in terms of real attention from the government and that is why things continue to escalate," he noted. How can it be resolved? Mr Adamu says any solution needs to have both security and economic elements."One way of having lasting peace in Benue is through sustained and adaptive security presence, what it means is to deploy more tactical and intelligence-based special forces to Benue State, ensuring their presence is sustained and adaptable to shifting also says that that the government needs to provide grazing land for the herders so they don't come into conflict with farmers."The aim should be to ensure it is equitable and provides viable, sustainable alternatives for pastoralists," he President Muhammadu Buhari did come up with such a plan, however this was rejected by states in the south, who saw it as a way of giving the Fulanis a share of their land. More BBC stories on Nigeria: At least 45 killed in central Nigeria raidDisbelief as Nigeria urges prayer to end food shortagesCulture and colour come out in praise of a Nigerian king Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Kenya deputy police chief step aside over di death of Albert Ojwang for police custody
Kenya Deputy Police Chief, Eliud Lagat, don step aside to allow for investigation into di death of Albert Ojwang, wey die for police custody. Lagat, announce di decision on Monday, as protesters dey demand for accountability and im immediate removal from office for days. "In di good and conscious thought of my role and responsibilities as di Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Service, and in view of di ongoing investigation on di unfortunate incident of di death of Mr. Albert Ojwang. Today I don decide to step aside from di office of di Deputy Inspector General Kenya Police Service pending completion of investigations," e tok. Dem arrest di blogger and teacher, afta Lagat file formal complaint against am, accusing am of sharing defamatory content on di social media platform X. E die for police custody and autopsy don reveal say im die of from likely beatings. "Di cause of death dey very clear; head injury, neck compression and oda injuries spread all ova di body and dat dey point towards assault," state pathologist Bernard Midia tok. Dem detain di 31-year-old Ojwang afta di deputy police chief, accuse am say im tarnish im name on social media. Lagat don deny say im dey involved in di death but im tok say e go fully cooperate wit investigators. "I undertake to provide any support wey dey required of me during di investigations of di unfortunate incident," e tok. "I offer immense condolences to di family of Mr. Albert Ojwang for dia great loss." Until dem conclude di probe, Lagat no go get any access to im office, and na im deputy go handle im functions. Di move dey come as pressure dey, wit more demonstrations wey dey planned dis week by activists wey dey demand for independent and transparent investigation into di case. Kenya President Williams Ruto inside one statement on Wednesday tok say "di tragic occurrence for di hands of di police dey heart-breaking and unacceptable." "I strongly condemn di actions and omissions, wey include any negligence or outright criminality wey fit contribute to im untimely death," President Ruto tok. Di kontri leader call on di National Police Service to fully cooperate wit di Independent Policing Oversight Authority wey dey torchlight di mata, and make dem ensure transparent, and credible investigation into di death of Oga Ojwang. Di president assure say di truth about wetin really happun to Ojwang go come out soon, and justice go dey served. E also caution di public against making "premature judgments or drawing conclusions wey fit scata di process and its outcome". Wetin di autopsy show? Police arrest Oga Ojwang for Homa Bay, one town for western Kenya, on Friday, sake of one post e make on X wey allegedly dey critical of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. Dem later transfer am go di capital, Nairobi, wey dey ova 350km (220 miles) from wia dem arrest am and book am for di Central Police Station on Saturday. Police tok say dem later find am unconscious for im cell wit injuries e do on imself (self-inflicted injuries). But one autopsy, wey five pathologists carry out and dem release unanimous report, reveal say Ojwang get severe head injuries and e suffer neck compression and multiple soft tissue trauma. Dr Midia, wey lead di team of pathologists, tok say Mr Ojwang no hit imself on di wall, as police bin tok for statement on Sunday. E say if Ojwang bin injure imsef, di pattern of injuries for dey different, and dem go see frontal bleeding on im head. "But di bleeds wey we see on di scalp… for di skin of di head no dey togeda, including on di face, sides of di head and for di back of di head," Dr Midia tok for one press conference. "Multiple soft tissue injuries also dey wey spread all ova di body, including for di head, neck, upper limbs plus di trunk and lower limbs... these na injuries from attack," e add. Di injuries dey consistent wit "external assault" and signs of struggle also dey, according to pathologists. Inside one initial statement, police tok say Ojwang "bin sustain head injuries afta e hit im head against one cell wall" for custody. However, Ojwang family lawyer, Julius Juma, tok say di body show signs of severe physical trauma, wey include swelling on di head, nose and ears. Oga Juma also say im see bruises on Ojwang shoulders and hands - injuries wey e say no dey consistent wit one single impact against a wall. Speaking at a press conference, Inspector General Douglas Kanja tok say di police go give di investigators all "necessary support" to solve di case. Dem find Ojwang unconscious during one routine inspection of di cells and dem "rush am go hospital, wia dem pronounce am dead on arrival", police tok. Di director of Amnesty International Kenya branch, Irungu Houghton, tell BBC say Ojwang death dey "very suspicious". Oga Houghton tok say e dey "quite shocking" say dem no book Ojwang for di local police station afta dem detain am, but instead dem carry am on long journey. On Sunday, 8 June, e call on independent investigators to secure wetin e describe as "di crime scene" for di police station for Nairobi. Ojwang death for detention dey come at a time of rising concern on top how dem dey treat some goment critics. Last week, software developer Rose Njeri, wey create one tool to help pipo oppose one goment finance bill, dem sama am charge wit accuse say she violate cybercrime law. She deny di charge.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Explosion takes place at Iranian state TV studio during live broadcast
Broadcaster IRINN was interrupted during a live transmission. Black smoke could be seen after the sound of a blast. The news network said it was being attacked by Israel
