Nigeria: Armed Militia Attacks Benue, 85 Killed in One Week, 43 in Latest Attack

At least 43 people were reportedly killed on Sunday evening when armed militia men launched coordinated attacks on communities in Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas of Benue State.

According to reports, the attackers stormed Tse Antswam, a suburb of Naka, headquarters of Gwer West LGA, at around 7 p.m., opening fire indiscriminately and leaving scores dead, including a pastor. Another simultaneous assault occurred in Edikwu Ankpali in Apa LGA, resulting in the deaths of at least 25 residents.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) confirmed the attacks. Its state chairman, Timothy Kume, stated that while he had received a death toll figure, it was likely outdated due to the ongoing nature of the violence.

It’s not that I don’t have the figure, but the one I have is old; as you know, the attack is happening nearly every day, Kume told Punch. For instance, the Sunday attack on Naka… affected one pastor; he was killed in the attack.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International raised the alarm on Monday, revealing that at least 85 people had been killed in Benue State within one week.

Bloodshed in Benue: 85 killed in a week. In barely a week, at least 85 people have been killed in Benue State. Last week, gunmen killed 42 people during gruesome attacks on villages of Gwer West LGA, Amnesty stated.

Residents in Edikwu Ankpali reported that the 25 victims of Sunday’s attack were being prepared for mass burial, underscoring the scale of the tragedy and the grief engulfing the affected communities.

According to a report, an eyewitness reported that the crisis in Apa started Sunday afternoon, was caused by armed herders that invaded Ijaha Ibele Ochekwu, in Apa council, killing two persons and injuring several others.

 After that incident, people fled for their lives and, when they thought it was all over about 5p.m., the herders launched a full scale attack on Edikwu Ankpali community—They shot and killed the defenceless people including women and children who were running for their lives. The attack was totally unprovoked, Vanguard quoted.

Read Also:

• Nigeria: Military Air Strike Mistakenly Kills 20 Vigilantes Chasing Armed Militias in Zamfara
• Nigeria: BADA Raises Alarm as Militia Seize 20 of 23 LGAs in Benue State While Tinubu Remains Silent

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