There has been a running battle between the Fulani cattle herders and farmers in the state but it took a sad turn on New Year day.
After barely two weeks of violence that erupted in Benue state on January 1, 2018, the state government said a total of 71 people have been killed.
There has been a running battle between the Fulani cattle herders and farmers in state but took an unexpected turn on New Year as the herdsmen massacred scores of people in Benue communities.
Terve Akase, the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom gave the figure while speaking to Reuters.
He said the death toll accounts for the clashes from December 31, 2017 to January 6, 2018.
"The attacks happened in very remote villages. Now, with security operatives on the ground, villagers have been going about the bush to pick up more corpses," Akase was quoted as saying.
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However, Ortom had on Monday, January 8, declared a three-day mourning for the 59 dead victims of the attacks on communities in the Logo and Guma Local Government Areas of the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
He said the mourning period will be from Tuesday, January 9 to Thursday this week and end with a church service for the victims at the IBB square in Makurdi, followed by a mass burial.