Sunday 20 / April / 2025
The death toll in attacks in Benue state in central Nigeria has risen to 56.
Benue state Governor Hyacinth Alia cited the figure Saturday while visiting two villages that were attacked by gunmen on Thursday night 17 April, 2025, into Friday.
Police had earlier said 17 people were killed.
The governor said there was the possibility of the figure increasing because the search was still ongoing.
Flare of attacks in Nigeria's Middle Belt
This is the latest flare-up of intercommunal violence to hit central Nigeria, known as the Middle Belt, in recent weeks.
In a separate incident earlier in the week, 11 people were killed by armed attackers in the Otukpo area of Benue.
In nearby north central Plateau state, two attacks in under two weeks left more than 100 people dead. Homes were razed and looted, according to Amnesty International, and hundreds of people were displaced.
