Death Toll Rises To 71 In Benue Killings As Villagers Pick More Dead Bodies From Bushes

The Benue State government said a total of 71 people have been killed in a week of violence in the State.

The clashes happened between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in communities in the state.

Herdsmen, mainly of the Fulani ethnic group and farmers often clash over the use of land in remote areas of the Middle Belt region.

Speaking with Reuters, the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Terve Akase, attributed 71 deaths from December 31 to January 6 to killings by the Fulani.

He said, “The attacks happened in very remote villages. Now, with security operatives on the ground, villagers have been going about the bush to pick up more corpses.”

Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police had last week told reporters that the country was secure, though more police would be deployed to Benue state to deal with the situation.