Benue: 23 killed in coordinated attacks across 4 LGAs

At least 23 people have been confirmed dead following a wave of coordinated violent attacks across four Local Government Areas in Benue State between Friday and Saturday.

The affected LGAs—Logo, Kwande, Ukum, and Guma—experienced simultaneous assaults that targeted farmers and rural villagers, reigniting fears of rising insecurity in the state.

According to a report by PUNCH, eight victims were killed in Jootar, a community in Ukum LGA, during an early Saturday morning ambush. The victims, mostly local farmers, were reportedly attacked while heading to their farms after spending the night in the area.

Local residents have blamed the attacks on suspected militia groups, while state authorities are yet to provide an official statement detailing the perpetrators or steps being taken to restore security.

“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.