No fewer than 25 people have been confirmed dead following a violent overnight invasion by alleged armed herders on Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities in North Bank, Makurdi, Benue State.
The assault reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday, with residents stating that the assailants struck around midnight and operated until about 2am, breaking into homes and brutally attacking inhabitants, including women and children.
Although the Benue State Police Command acknowledged the incident, their spokesperson, Udeme Edet, said that the full casualty count was still being compiled. “Our officers are currently on the ground gathering details. We’ll share the figures once investigations are complete,” she said.
Eyewitness Aondofa, a local resident, described the scene as horrific. “They broke into houses, smashing doors and windows, and butchered people while they slept. It was completely unprovoked,” he recounted.
He added that 25 bodies had been recovered, while several residents remained missing or displaced, fleeing in panic during the attack.
The incident is the latest in a string of violent herder-farmer clashes that have plagued Benue, deepening fear and insecurity in the state.