Latest news with #OrminTorsarVictor
Arab Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
Gunmen kill 20 in north-central Nigeria over the weekend: local authorities
ABUJA, Nigeria, May 28, (AP): Gunmen killed at least 20 people during an attack on a village in Nigeria's north-central Benue state over the weekend, a local official said. The attack took place on Sunday in the village of Aondona in the Gwer West area of the state, the local government chairman, Ormin Torsar Victor, said in a video on his Facebook page on Monday. The graphic video showed what appeared to be three corpses on the ground, including a young child. Benue state police spokesperson Anene Sewuese confirmed to The Associated Press that a weekend attack took place in Gwer West, but said only four people were killed, including a police officer who was responding to the raid. Nigerian police authorities often provide lower death tolls than local authorities and witnesses when reporting on attacks. While it remains unclear who was responsible for the killings, such attacks are common in Nigeria's northern region where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The 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. The governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, called the attack a "heinous act' and "a stark reminder of the pervasive violence and lawlessness' that have plagued the region in recent times in a statement on Sunday. Last month, gunmen, believed to be herders, killed at least 40 people in north-central Nigeria.
eNCA
27-05-2025
- eNCA
Nigeria attacks kill 44: local official
At least 44 people have been killed in separate attacks in recent days in central Nigeria, a local government official said Tuesday, raising the toll in the latest raids in a region where herders and farmers often clash. The attacks occurred in three villages between Friday and Monday, the chairman of the Gwer West local government area of Benue state, Ormin Torsar Victor, told AFP. Motives for the violence were not clear, but Victor blamed the "coordinated attacks" on Fulani cattle herders. Muslim ethnic Fulani nomadic herders have long clashed with settled farmers, many of whom are Christian, in Benue over access to land and resources. "As of today morning I passed through Aondona, they were mentioning 14 bodies that have been recovered, including a pregnant woman and a boy of two," he told AFP, adding that 30 others were killed in Ahume. "Yesterday evening one person was killed, the number keeps increasing by the day. Even now I think some corpses have not yet been discovered," he said, calling the attacks "systematic". The victims were either shot or stabbed, he said. He said the "pregnant woman was macheted" while the two-year-old boy was "mutilated". A Catholic priest was shot and wounded while driving along the Markudi-Naka road, the church and the local government official said. "They shot him and left him there thinking he was dead," said Victor, adding that two passengers that were with him were abducted. In a call for prayers for the wounded priest posted on Facebook, the church said he was shot by "suspected terrorist herdsmen". - 'Coordinated attacks' - A resident of Aondona, Ruthie Dan Sam, told AFP late Monday that "20 people were killed here in Aondona". "Children of less than two are being killed. The worst sight is a baby macheted on its mouth," she said. She added that other people had been killed in neighbouring villages, but said she had no figures. Victor said he and other locals had buried five people, including a father and two of his sons killed in the village of Tewa Biana "very close to a military base". Benue state police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine confirmed two attacks in the area but said her office had received "no report of 20 people" killed. She said that one raid resulted in the death of a policeman who had "repelled an attack" and that "three dead bodies were discovered". The attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- The Hindu
At least 44 killed in attacks in Nigeria's Benue state, says local official
At least 44 people have been killed in separate attacks in recent days in central Nigeria, a local government official said Tuesday (May 27, 2025), raising the toll in the latest raids in a region where herders and farmers often clash. The attacks occurred in three villages between Friday and Monday, the chairman of the Gwer West local government area of Benue state, Ormin Torsar Victor, told AFP. Motives for the violence were not clear, but Mr. Victor blamed the 'coordinated attacks' on Fulani cattle herders. Muslim ethnic Fulani nomadic herders have long clashed with settled farmers, many of whom are Christian, in Benue over access to land and resources. 'As of today morning I passed through Aondona, they were mentioning 14 bodies that have been recovered, including a pregnant woman and a boy of two,' he told AFP, adding that 30 others were killed in Ahume. 'Yesterday evening one person was killed, the number keeps increasing by the day. Even now I think some corpses have not yet been discovered,' he said, calling the attacks 'systematic'. The victims were either shot or stabbed, he said. He said the 'pregnant woman was macheted' while the two-year-old boy was 'mutilated'. A Catholic priest was shot and wounded while driving along the Markudi-Naka road, the church and the local government official said. They shot him and left him there thinking he was dead,' said M.r Victor, adding that two passengers that were with him were 'abducted. In a call for prayers for the wounded priest posted on Facebook, the church said he was shot by 'suspected terrorist herdsmen'. 'Coordinated attacks' A resident of Aondona, Ruthie Dan Sam, told AFP late on Monday that '20 people were killed here in Aondona'. 'Children of less than two are being killed. The worst sight is a baby macheted on its mouth,' she said. She added that other people had been killed in neighbouring villages, but said she had no figures. Mr. Victor said he and other locals had buried five people, including a father and two of his sons killed in the village of Tewa Biana 'very close to a military base'. Benue state police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine confirmed two attacks in the area but said her office had received 'no report of 20 people' killed. She said that one raid resulted in the death of a policeman who had 'repelled an attack' and that 'three dead bodies were discovered'. The attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension. Benue has been one of the states hit hardest by such violence between nomadic herders and farmers who blame herdsmen for destroying farmland with their cattle grazing.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-05-2025
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Nigeria attacks kill 44: local official - Africa
At least 44 people have been killed in separate attacks in recent days in central Nigeria, a local government official said Tuesday, raising the toll in the latest raids in a region where herders and farmers often clash. The attacks occurred in three villages between Friday and Monday, the chairman of the Gwer West local government area of Benue state, Ormin Torsar Victor, told AFP. Motives for the violence were not clear, but Victor blamed the "coordinated attacks" on Fulani cattle herders. Muslim ethnic Fulani nomadic herders have long clashed with settled farmers, many of whom are Christian, in Benue over access to land and resources. "As of today morning I passed through Aondona, they were mentioning 14 bodies that have been recovered, including a pregnant woman and a boy of two," he told AFP, adding that 30 others were killed in Ahume. "Yesterday evening one person was killed, the number keeps increasing by the day. Even now I think some corpses have not yet been discovered," he said, calling the attacks "systematic". The victims were either shot or stabbed, he said. He said the "pregnant woman was macheted" while the two-year-old boy was "mutilated". A Catholic priest was shot and wounded while driving along the Markudi-Naka road, the church and the local government official said. "They shot him and left him there thinking he was dead," said Victor, adding that two passengers that were with him were abducted. In a call for prayers for the wounded priest posted on Facebook, the church said he was shot by "suspected terrorist herdsmen". 'Coordinated attacks' A resident of Aondona, Ruthie Dan Sam, told AFP late Monday that "20 people were killed here in Aondona". "Children of less than two are being killed. The worst sight is a baby macheted on its mouth," she said. She added that other people had been killed in neighbouring villages, but said she had no figures. Victor said he and other locals had buried five people, including a father and two of his sons killed in the village of Tewa Biana "very close to a military base". Benue state police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine confirmed two attacks in the area but said her office had received "no report of 20 people" killed. She said that one raid resulted in the death of a policeman who had "repelled an attack" and that "three dead bodies were discovered". The attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension. Benue has been one of the states hit hardest by such violence between nomadic herders and farmers who blame herdsmen for destroying farmland with their cattle grazing. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gunmen killed at least 20 people in north-central Nigeria over the weekend, local authorities say
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Gunmen killed at least 20 people during an attack on a village in Nigeria's north-central Benue state over the weekend, a local official said. The attack took place on Sunday in the village of Aondona in the Gwer West area of the state, the local government chairman, Ormin Torsar Victor, said in a video on his Facebook page on Monday. The graphic video showed what appeared to be three corpses on the ground, including a young child. Benue state police spokesperson Anene Sewuese confirmed to The Associated Press that a weekend attack took place in Gwer West, but said only four people were killed, including a police officer who was responding to the raid. Nigerian police authorities often provide lower death tolls than local authorities and witnesses when reporting on attacks. While it remains unclear who was responsible for the killings, such attacks are common in Nigeria's northern region where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The 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. The governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, called the attack a 'heinous act' and 'a stark reminder of the pervasive violence and lawlessness' that have plagued the region in recent times in a statement on Sunday. Last month, gunmen, believed to be herders, killed at least 40 people in north-central Nigeria.
