At least 56 people have been killed following two separate attacks allegedly carried out by nomadic herders in Nigeria’s Benue State this week.
The governor’s office significantly updated the earlier death toll of 17 on Saturday, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
A government spokesperson stated that the number of victims could rise as search and rescue operations continue.
On Friday, police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine confirmed that “a large number of suspected armed assailants launched an overnight raid” in the region.
The violence is part of a recurring and deadly conflict between farmers and herders that has claimed hundreds of lives over recent years.
