At least 40 people were killed in Nigeria’s Plateau state when gunmen stormed a Christian farming community late Sunday night, officials confirmed.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the assault on Zike village in Bassa and ordered a full investigation to bring the attackers to justice.
“I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible,” Tinubu said in a Monday statement.
Amnesty International reported that children and the elderly were among those killed, with many unable to escape the surprise attack.
Witnesses said the assailants, believed to be Fulani herders, also burned homes and looted property, leaving widespread devastation.
Local resident Andy Yakubu claimed he saw over 50 bodies and noted that no arrests had been made as of Monday evening.
Fulani herders have long been blamed for attacks in Nigeria’s north-central region, where conflicts over land and water have deepened religious tensions.
Amnesty said more than 1,300 people were killed in Plateau between December 2023 and February 2024, raising questions about government security measures.
Samuel Jugo, spokesman for the Irigwe Development Association, said 75 members of the Christian Irigwe group have been killed since December 2024.
Jugo described the latest violence as “provocative, vexing, and undeserving,” and criticized the lack of effective protection despite increased military presence.
In May 2024, a similar late-night raid claimed at least 40 lives in remote Plateau villages, underscoring a pattern of recurring bloodshed.
The conflict over grazing rights and farmland remains distinct from Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, an Islamist insurgency based in the country’s northeast.
As the death toll rises, survivors and local leaders continue to demand urgent action to end the cycle of violence.