The Benue State Command of the Nigerian Police Force has confirmed that more than 42 people, including a Mobile Police Officer, were killed in a wave of deadly attacks by suspected armed herdsmen in Benue state.
The attacks took place over the weekend across four communities in Gwer West Local Government Area. Witnesses say the violence began Saturday evening in Aondona town and spread to Ahume, Tyolaha, and the Tse-Orbiam military base by Sunday morning.
A resident, Agatha, described the scenes as horrific, saying women and children as young as two were among the victims.
Another local, Terser Tyona, reported that 10 people were killed in Ahume, five in Tyolaha, and seven more in Tse-Orbiam.
In a separate incident, Reverend Father Solomon Atongo was shot along the Naka-Makurdi road, and two others were abducted near a nearby military base.
The Chairman of Gwer West, Victor Ormin, confirmed the killings and called the situation a genocide. In a video circulating online, he warned he may resign if urgent help isn’t provided to protect his people
