At least 30 people were killed in separate attacks by suspected armed men in Kebbi and Benue states over the weekend, highlighting the growing insecurity in rural communities across Nigeria.
In Kebbi State, suspected gunmen launched a deadly assault on the Waje community in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area on Saturday, killing 15 farmers and injuring three others. According to the local government chairman, Hussaini Bena, the attack has left residents shaken and in urgent need of better security.
Deputy Governor Umar Tafida, representing Governor Nasir Idris, visited the district head of Waje, Bala Danbaba, to offer condolences and deliver financial assistance to families affected by the violence. Tafida described the gesture as a modest but vital effort to support the bereaved and injured. Danbaba expressed gratitude for the state government’s “timely and impactful” support, while also highlighting the community’s vulnerability due to its proximity to the volatile borders of Niger, Zamfara, and Sokoto states.
Meanwhile, in Benue State, another 15 lives were lost in an ambush on traders returning from Oweto market in Agatu Local Government Area. The attack, which occurred Saturday evening near Ogwumogbo and Okpo’okpolo, also left several others wounded. Former Agatu LGA vice chairman, John Ikwulono, confirmed the incident and said five victims were found dead near a stream called Abekoko, including one identified as Ali from Ogwumogbo.
Local authorities, including Agatu LGA chairman Melvin James, were attending the victims’ burial on Sunday when confirmation of the incident came through his aide. While the aide blamed armed herders for the killings, the Benue State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Mohammed Risku, said he was in a meeting and could not comment. MACBAN Secretary, Ibrahim Galma, stated he was unaware of any such incident at the time.
The police in Benue, through spokesperson CSP Catherine Anene, said no official report had been received regarding the attack.
These latest killings add to a grim tally of violence in Benue, where at least 174 people have been killed in various communities between April 1 and May 17. The most severely affected areas include Gwer East, Guma, Otukpo, Kwande, Apa, and particularly the Sankera axis—comprising Katsina-Ala, Logo, and Ukum—which alone recorded 83 deaths over a four-day period in April.
As rural communities across northern and central Nigeria continue to face relentless attacks, calls for enhanced security and swift justice grow louder from both local leaders and bereaved families.
