23 killed in renewed violence across 4 Benue LGAs

At least 23 people lost their lives between Friday and Saturday in a series of violent attacks that swept through several communities across four Local Government Areas in Benue State.

The affected LGAs—Logo, Kwande, Ukum, and Guma—were hit by coordinated assaults that targeted farmers and villagers.

According to a report by PUNCH, eight individuals were killed in the early hours of Saturday in Jootar, a settlement located in Ukum LGA. The victims, who had reportedly spent the night in the community, were ambushed on their way to their farms.

“The farmers were killed on their way to farm. But we cannot confirm whether the killers were armed herders or Jukun militia,” a local source who requested anonymity told the newspaper.

Jootar, which sits on the border between Taraba and Benue states, has long been a hotspot for clashes between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups.

In a separate incident on Friday, suspected armed herders reportedly attacked Ayilamo in Logo LGA, leaving nine people dead.

Additional attacks in Kwande and Guma LGAs claimed three lives each, bringing the total death toll to 23.

Speaking on the Jootar killings, Benue State Commissioner for Information, Mathew Abo, said: “The report I received is that eight farmers were killed in Jootar early Saturday morning on their way to the farm. The area is a border community between Tiv and Jukun, and there has been an ongoing crisis between the two groups. We cannot say for sure who was responsible.”

As of press time, Abo noted he had yet to verify the reported deaths in Logo, Kwande, and Guma.

Efforts to reach the state police spokesperson, Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to her line went unanswered.