Nigeria: At least 100 killed in gun attack in Benue state village, Amnesty International claims
At least 100 people have been killed in a gun attack in a village in north-central Nigeria, Amnesty International has claimed.
The human rights group's branch in Nigeria said the attack occurred between Friday evening and Saturday morning in Yelewata, a community in the Guma area of Benue state.
"Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms," the group said in a post on X. "So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition."
It said hundreds of people were injured and were without adequate medical care, while dozens of others were missing.
A police spokesperson in Benue confirmed that an attack took place in Yelewata but did not specify how many people had died.
Amnesty noted in a statement that there had been an "alarming escalation of attacks across Benue state where gunmen have been on a killing spree with utter impunity".
"The Nigerian authorities' failure to stem the violence is costing people's lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action many more lives may be lost," it added.
Last month, gunmen, believed to be herders, killed at least 20 people in the Gwer West area of Benue.
In April, at least 40 people were killed in the neighbouring state of Plateau.
Benue is in Nigeria's 'middle belt', a region where the majority Muslim north meets the largely Christian south.
Attacks are common in Nigeria's northern regions, where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water.
Farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce.
The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence.
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BBC News
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Many die for fresh herdsmen attack for Benue state
Fresh violent attack don lead to di death of many villagers for Benue State, North central Nigeria. Di attack happun for Yelwata, a Benue border town with Nasarawa state wia suspected armed herdsmen attack di pipo on Friday night. Authorities don confam di incident. Benue state Govnor Hyacinth Alia condemn di attacks and killing of innocent citizens for Yelewata say ''nobody get right to take anoda pesin life'' Officials say at least 45 pipo die during di overnight attack for central Nigeria. Eyewitnesses say na armed cattle herdsmen carry out di attack and police say dem engage di attackers for gun battle. Dem burn down many houses for di raid on Yelewata town. On Sunday youths enta street to protest di killings wey no be like say e go stop. The protesters gather for di Wurukum area of Makurdi, the state capital wit placards to demand goment protection from di herdmen. Clashes between herders and settled farmers dey common for central Nigeria. Part of di reason for di fight-fight na sake of competition ova land. ''In di spirit of peace and unity, we dey call on religious, traditional, and political leaders across di state to sensitize and guide di youths wey dey under dia influence against unlawful gatherings or confrontations wey fit go out of control''. Govnor Alia tok Two days ago, 25 pipo bin die wen gunmen attack Makurdi di state capital. Two weeks ago, gunmen bin kill 25 pipo for two attacks, also for Benue state. Govnor Alia beg citizens to use of official communication channels to report any suspicious activities and to stay informed through credible sources. ''Benue State dey committed to justice, peace, and security for all''. Govnor Alia add.
Sky News
10 hours ago
- Sky News
Nigeria: At least 100 killed in gun attack in Benue state village, Amnesty International claims
At least 100 people have been killed in a gun attack in a village in north-central Nigeria, Amnesty International has claimed. The human rights group's branch in Nigeria said the attack occurred between Friday evening and Saturday morning in Yelewata, a community in the Guma area of Benue state. "Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms," the group said in a post on X. "So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition." It said hundreds of people were injured and were without adequate medical care, while dozens of others were missing. A police spokesperson in Benue confirmed that an attack took place in Yelewata but did not specify how many people had died. Amnesty noted in a statement that there had been an "alarming escalation of attacks across Benue state where gunmen have been on a killing spree with utter impunity". "The Nigerian authorities' failure to stem the violence is costing people's lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action many more lives may be lost," it added. Last month, gunmen, believed to be herders, killed at least 20 people in the Gwer West area of Benue. In April, at least 40 people were killed in the neighbouring state of Plateau. Benue is in Nigeria's 'middle belt', a region where the majority Muslim north meets the largely Christian south. Attacks are common in Nigeria's northern regions, where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. Farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence.
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Reuters
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 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.
