Suspected Herdsmen Kill 11 in Benue Community Again

Less than a week after suspected armed herders killed over 50 farmers in Benue State, fresh violence broke out early Tuesday as gunmen attacked Afia community in Ukum Local Government Area, killing 11 people and injuring several others.

The traditional ruler of Ukum, His Royal Highness Chief Iyorkyaa Kaave, revealed this in Makurdi during a security meeting held to address the ongoing violence in the area.

Condemning the attack, which he described as unprovoked and part of a deliberate plan to force indigenous farmers off their land, Chief Kaave decried the persistent loss of lives and destruction of property.

“As I speak, these attacks began on Thursday in Logo and by Good Friday, they had spread to several communities in Ukum. We’re still recovering bodies, and many people are missing,” he said.

He described Tuesday’s assault on Afia as particularly vicious, explaining that the assailants invaded the community at dawn, shooting indiscriminately and killing 11 residents on the spot, while others sustained injuries of varying severity.

Chief Kaave expressed concern that the attackers intend to displace locals and take over their land, adding that the situation has reached a critical level.

“These are not the Fulani we used to know and live peacefully with in the ’70s and ’80s. Back then, they came during the dry season with their families and cattle. What we’re seeing now are armed men with AK-47s, attacking sleeping villagers and occupying their homes,” he said.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to act decisively and cautioned against any attempt to negotiate with the perpetrators.

“The president must understand this — we do not want to settle with killers. Their agenda is no longer hidden: it is to kill, displace, and occupy,” the monarch said.