Death toll of central Nigeria attack rises to over 151

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The death toll of a weekend attack by suspected herders who swooped on a community in Nigeria's central state of Benue has risen to over 151, with dozens of others injured, a senior official said.

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, told local media late Monday that the incident, which he described as "insane carnage," had left sorrow and shock in the state. The attack occurred in Yelwata, a town in the Guma local government area, between late Friday and the early hours of Saturday.

According to Alia, at least 127 bodies had been buried, two were in the morgue, 18 bodies were yet to be buried, and four had just been recovered from the bush on Monday, while the casualty figure might increase as the search for victims continues.

Benue State, located in Nigeria's central region between the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south, has witnessed repeated attacks in recent years. Yelwata, where the incident occurred, is a border community in the central region located about 40-km from Makurdi, the capital of Benue.

According to a statement by the National Emergency Management Agency on Monday, at least 1,069 households were affected by the recent violence in the state. A total of 6,527 people have been displaced, including 82 pregnant women, 252 lactating mothers, and 657 children under 18.

The rescue agency identified over 3,000 displaced people, including children and women, needing urgent humanitarian assistance, such as food, non-food items, potable water, and essential medical supplies.

President Bola Tinubu said that he will travel to Benue on Wednesday as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state.

A presidential statement noted that Tinubu is expected to meet with various stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political, religious, community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions.

The motive behind the latest attacks remains unclear.