In yet another round of attacks, suspected Fulani herdsmen have attacked four villages in Logo local government area of Benue State, killing at least 8 persons.
The attacks, which occurred around 2am on Tuesday, were perpetrated on the villages of Tse Chia, Tse Nhumbe, Deghkia and Ngorukgan, where houses and huts were also razed, Vanguard reports.
This is coming on the heels of a week-long coordinated attack on Agatu communities in which an unconfirmed number of persons said to be in the hundreds died.
A source was quoted by the paper as saying that the casualty figure could exceed the stated number because many people were unaccounted for.
The source said guns and machetes were used in cutting the lives out of hapless people who were caught unawares in the dead of the night.
Many of the villagers, said to be in their thousands, reportedly fled to neighbouring towns of Anyii, Ugba and Abeda to avoid being killed.
The Benue State Police Command is yet to confirm the attack, just as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday quoted the Commissioner of Police, Paul Yakadi as saying that the Fulani herdsmen had started to leave Benue for peace to reign.
He said: ““The herdsmen have started leaving the state for peace to reign, they are leaving in their numbers, but that does not mean the crisis has ended.
“We believe that in no distant time peace will return in the affected local governments and the people will return to their homes again.
“My men are trying their best to end this crisis. Our people too must learn to live with one another and manage disagreement amicably without violence.”