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A deadly attack attributed to suspected armed herdsmen struck the Mbtyulua/Mberev Council Ward in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State on Monday, December 8, 2025, resulting in multiple casualties and deepening fears in a region already plagued by recurring farmer-herder violence.
The incident, which occurred in a community that has witnessed repeated clashes in recent years, reportedly claimed several lives and left others injured. Among the victims identified so far is Torkuma Gbakaan of the Tseyende Mberev clan. Details about his condition remain unclear at the time of this report.
Other individuals reportedly attacked or otherwise affected include:
– Tyôakula Atsenga-Mberev
– Peter Adu Mbtyulua
– Shaagee Wombo Mbtyulua
– Godwin Vernumber Mbtyulua
– Aondo Baaki Mbtyulua
Local sources say security personnel have been alerted to the situation, though no official statement has been released by the police or state government as of Wednesday, December 11, 2025.
The attack comes amid ongoing tensions over grazing routes, farmland destruction, and communal rivalries in parts of Benue State, where the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017 continues to be a flashpoint between farmers and herders.
Residents of Mbtyulua/Mberev and surrounding communities are said to be living in fear, with many reportedly fleeing to safer areas. Further updates will be provided as more verified information becomes available from authorities and eyewitnesses.
This latest violence serves as another grim reminder of the persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where farmer-herder conflicts have claimed thousands of lives and displaced entire communities over the past decade.
