Crime Africa

Herder-farmer clashes in Nigeria kill at least 17

At least 17 people are reported to have been killed as suspected nomadic cattle herders carried out twin attacks in central Nigeria‘s Benue State.

Police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine said in a statement on Friday that “a large number of suspected militia had invaded” a region of Benue State overnight. The attack came amid a resurgence of deadly clashes between herders and farmers, a conflict that has killed hundreds over recent years.

Security forces were deployed and as the assailants “were being repelled in the early hours of today, they shot sporadically at unsuspecting farmers” killing five farmers in Benue’s Ukum area.

Police said a second attack took place in Logo, about 70km from the area of the first incident.

“Unfortunately an unsuspected simultaneous attack was carried out” in a neighbouring locality, where 12 people were killed before police arrived, the police spokesperson said.

The attacks came just two days after 11 people were killed in the Otukpo area of Benue, and barely a week after gunmen attacked villages and killed more than 50 people in neighbouring Plateau State.

Since 2019, clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farming communities have killed more than 500 people in the region and forced 2.2 million to leave their homes, according to research firm SBM Intelligence.

The clashes, mostly between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers from the Berom and Irigwe ethnic groups, are often painted as ethnoreligious.

However, analysts have said climate change and scarcity of pastoral land are pitting the farmers and herders against each other, irrespective of faith.

The conflict has disrupted food supplies from north-central Nigeria, a significant agricultural area.

 

Source: bbc.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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