BENUE STATE, May 12 (AGCNewsNet) – At least 23 people were killed Saturday night in a series of attacks by unidentified gunmen across four villages in central Nigeria’s Benue State, according to the Red Cross.

The latest violence, which struck the communities of Ukum, Logo, Guma, and Kwande, was confirmed by Anthony Abah, Red Cross secretary in the state, who cited field reports indicating the deadly toll: 8 killed in Ukum, 9 in Logo, and 3 each in Guma and Kwande. Several others were injured.

The attacks are the latest in a wave of deadly confrontations in Nigeria's Middle Belt, where tensions over land rights, ethnicity, and religion have escalated. The region has long seen clashes between nomadic Fulani herders—largely Muslim—and predominantly Christian farming communities.

“These attacks are deeply troubling,” said Cephas Kangeh, a retired state official and local resident. “Villagers are being ambushed and killed, while mining operations by Chinese companies in the area appear untouched.”

Kangeh also raised questions about selective violence, noting that while indigenous communities are frequently targeted, foreign mining interests seem unaffected. However, authorities say the incidents did not occur near mining zones.

A police spokeswoman stated she had not been briefed on the incidents as of Sunday morning.

This comes just a month after similar attacks in the same region left at least 56 people dead. In neighboring Plateau State, over 100 people were killed in two major attacks in April.

As climate change and population pressures shrink arable land, competition for space in Benue and surrounding areas continues to fuel deadly violence.

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Source: AFP