Nigeria: 43 people killed in attacks in Benue state

Forty-three people, including children, have died in armed attacks in Benue state, central Nigeria, according to reports.

“Herdsmen from the Fulani tribe, who make their living from livestock, attacked the Gwer West and Edikwu Akpali areas of the state,” reports said.

Some houses were burnt down during these attacks, which claimed the lives of 43 people, including children, and left many injured.

In Benue state, violent clashes sometimes pit the Fulani tribe, which raises livestock, against certain tribes that practice agriculture. On May 27, 20 people were killed in an attack by Fulani herders in the Gwer West region.

The Fulani, who migrate to different parts of the country to graze their animals, claim that farmers try to steal their animals and attack them.

Armed gangs also carry out attacks, taking advantage of these conflicts and threatening the region’s inhabitants.