In a harrowing series of assaults over the weekend, suspected herders unleashed terror across four communities in Benue State’s Gwer West Local Government Area, leaving at least 42 people dead, including women and children as young as two years old.
The attacks commenced on Saturday, May 24, 2025, targeting the villages of Tyolaha and Tse-Ubiam, where 10 individuals lost their lives. The violence escalated on Sunday, May 25, with coordinated strikes on Ahume and Aondona villages, resulting in 32 additional fatalities. Local authorities, including Gwer West LGA Chairman Victor Omnin, confirmed the death toll and described the situation as “pathetic,” noting that recovery efforts were still ongoing.
Eyewitnesses recounted the brutality of the attacks, highlighting that the assailants did not spare even the youngest members of the communities. A Catholic priest was among those critically injured during the assaults.
These incidents are part of a longstanding conflict between itinerant Fulani herders and indigenous farming communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. Factors such as competition over land and water resources, climate change, and ethnic tensions have fueled the violence. Despite the enactment of a 2017 law banning open grazing in Benue State, enforcement has been inconsistent, allowing such attacks to persist.
The recent bloodshed underscores the urgent need for effective security measures and conflict resolution strategies to protect vulnerable communities and restore peace in the region.
