Herdsmen kill 6, raze houses in Benue

Gunmen attacked five farming villages in volatile central Nigeria’s Benue State, killing six people and burning many houses, police said Sunday.

“Five Agatu villages were attacked yesterday by suspected Fulani cattle herdsmen who killed six people,” state police spokesman Daniel Ezeala said.

He said “many houses” were razed during the violence. Local media however said 36 people were killed in the mayhem.

Ezeala said police and troops had been deployed to the trouble spot.

“The situation is now under control as security forces are patrolling the affected villages to ensure there is no resurgence of violence,” he said.

Benue state in Nigeria’s “Middle Belt”, has been the scene of waves of sectarian violence in recent years.