In central Nigeria’s Benue State, at least 17 people have been reported killed in twin attacks carried out by suspected nomadic cattle herders. The attacks, which resulted in the deaths of five farmers in Ukum and 12 people in Logo, are part of a resurgence of deadly clashes between herders and farmers that have killed hundreds over recent years.
These attacks come just days after 11 people were killed in the Otukpo area of Benue and a week after more than 50 people were killed in neighbouring Plateau State. Since 2019, clashes between herders and farmers have killed more than 500 people and forced 2.2 million to leave their homes in the region.
The conflict, primarily between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers from the Berom and Irigwe ethnic groups, is often portrayed as ethnoreligious. However, analysts suggest that climate change and a scarcity of pastoral land are fueling the violence, regardless of faith.
These clashes have disrupted food supplies from north-central Nigeria, a vital agricultural area. Security forces have been deployed to address the ongoing violence, but the underlying issues of land disputes and resource scarcity continue to drive the deadly conflicts.
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