Fatal conflicts between nomads and peasants have recently increased in Benue and the Plateau provinces.
At least 17 people have been reportedly killed as nomadic cattle herders who attacked twins in Benue Province, central Nigeria.
Police spokesman Anene Seweese Catherine said in a statement Friday overnight the area of Benue state “a large number of militias have invaded.” The attack came amidst a revival of fatal conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. This is a conflict that has killed hundreds of people in recent years.
Security forces were deployed and the attackers “were repelled early today, so they sporadically shot unsuspecting farmers,” killing five farmers in the Ukum area of Benue.
Police said the second attack was carried out with the logo about 70km from the area of the first incident.
A police spokesperson said 12 people were killed in nearby areas “a sadly suspicious simultaneous attack took place” before police arrived.
The attack came just two days after 11 people were killed in the Otukpo area of Benue, just a week after gunmen attacked the village and killed more than 50 people in nearby Plateau Province.
Since 2019, clashes between nomadic cattle herders and agricultural communities have killed more than 500 people in the area, forcing 2.2 million people to leave their homes, according to research firm SBM Intelligence.
The conflict between the herdsmen of Fulani, primarily Muslims, and Christian peasants of Belom and Iligwean ethnic groups, is often portrayed as ethnic pedigree.
But analysts say that climate change and shortages on pastoral lands are fighting each other with farmers, regardless of their faith.
The conflict is disrupting food supplies from northern Nigeria, a key agricultural area.
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