A horrifying attack on the Ayati community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State has left at least 30 people dead.
The late-night assault on Thursday involved suspected bandits and armed herdsmen, who stormed the community, killing residents in their homes and pursuing those who fled into the bush.
The attack, which lasted for about an hour, has sent shockwaves through the community.
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, including the notorious Ayongu gang, targeted the area after a previous confrontation with security forces over a land dispute with herdsmen.
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A former governorship aspirant from the area, Shima Ayati, claimed the violence erupted from a longstanding conflict between farmers and herders over grazing land.
The herdsmen, allegedly backed by the bandits, carried out the massacre in retaliation for the government’s crackdown on their activities.
The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for increased security in the region.