The death toll from attacks by suspected cattle herders in central Nigeria’s Benue State has risen to 56, Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed on Saturday, highlighting a sharp increase in deadly violence in the country.
Governor Alia disclosed the updated toll during a visit to the affected villages in Logo and Ukum Local Government Areas (LGAs), where the attacks occurred. Initially, authorities had reported 17 fatalities.
According to the governor, additional bodies were recovered in Logo LGA, bringing the death toll there to 27. More bodies were found in Ukum, pushing the total number of dead to 29, with Alia warning that the figure could rise further. “As of now, we are talking about 56 lives lost in just one night. This is deeply devastating,” he told journalists.
The violence began earlier this week when suspected herders killed 11 people in Otukpo, a town in Benue. In nearby Plateau State, gunmen killed over 50 people on Monday night. Since 2019, such clashes have claimed over 500 lives and displaced 2.2 million people, according to SBM Intelligence, a research firm.
In a separate attack on Friday, suspected herders killed five farmers near Gbagir in Ukum LGA, opening fire as police attempted to confront them. Police spokesperson Sewuese Anene confirmed the deaths, noting that while officers were engaged in Ukum, another 12 people were killed in Logo LGA, about 70 km (43.5 miles) away.
