Civilians attacked in Nigeria

Gunmen have carried out two separate attacks in Benue state, north central Nigeria, resulting in the deaths of at least 74 people. Local officials and police confirmed the deaths.

Violence has increased in the region in recent years as population growth has led to a reduction in the amount of land available for open grazing by nomads’ cattle herds. The attack on a camp for internally displaced people in Mgban local government area occurred between Friday evening and Saturday morning, resulting in 28 deaths.

In a separate incident, suspected herdsmen killed villagers at a funeral in the remote Umogidi village of Otukpo local government area on Wednesday, resulting in 46 deaths.

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the killings and directed security forces to increase surveillance in the affected areas. The Middle Belt state of Benue lies at the fault line between the predominantly Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south of Nigeria, where competition over land use is particularly intractable.