Media: Deadly clashes erupt again in Nigeria’s Benue State, leaving 23 dead

Gunmen launched deadly attacks on four villages in Nigeria's central Benue State on the night of May 11 to 12, leaving at least 23 people dead and several others injured, a local Red Cross official confirmed on May 11.

The killings, part of a long-running conflict between nomadic herders and settled farmers over land use, occurred in the villages of Ukum, Logo, Guma, and Kwande. Red Cross secretary in Benue, Anthony Abah, told AFP that disaster response officers in the field had confirmed eight deaths in Ukum, nine in Logo, and three each in Guma and Kwande.

"This is the latest in a series of coordinated attacks in the region," Abah said, warning of the continuing humanitarian toll.

Despite the scale of the violence, local police said they were unaware of the incidents. The apparent lack of official response has fueled concerns about the state’s capacity to protect rural populations vulnerable to recurrent attacks.

Cephas Kangeh, a retired official from the state electricity company who now lives in one of the affected areas, reported hearing of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle. "It was taken away by the herdsmen," he said.

Kangeh also pointed to the presence of Chinese-operated gold mining sites in the region, raising questions about security dynamics. "The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," he noted. "However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed… yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."

The region, part of Nigeria’s so-called Middle Belt, has long been a flashpoint for conflict between predominantly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities. In early April, similar violence in neighbouring Plateau state left over 100 people dead.

Climate change and population growth continue to exacerbate tensions over access to farmland and grazing areas. As land becomes scarcer, clashes have become deadlier, fueling a complex crisis with ethnic, religious, and economic dimensions.

For the record, more than 56 people were killed in attacks in some of the same areas just over a month ago.

The government has yet to issue a formal response to the latest killings.

By Khagan Isayev