Makurdi to Gboko highway is completely blocked this morning with at least 12 people killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Mbakor, Tarka Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
POLITICS NIGERIA learned that many others are still missing following the overnight attack on Tiortyu community.
There is an ongoing protest by angry youths along the road over the fresh killing of the villagers. Currently, there is no movement as the road has been blocked with corpses of victims. This newspaper obtained pictures of innocent residents killed, but the images are too gory to share.
Locals say the violence broke out when armed Fulani herders attacked villagers from the Tiv ethnic group over the killing of a kinsman that they blamed on Tiv farmers.
Deadly clashes between nomadic cattle herders and local farmers over grazing and water rights are common in central Nigeria.
Violence by criminal gangs of cattle thieves among the herders, who raid villages, killing and burning homes after looting them, has compounded the situation.
The Benue State government is yet to officially react to the situation.
