Amnesty International has condemned the killing of at least 17 people in an attack on the Mbalom community in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State, blaming Nigerian authorities for failing to protect residents from recurring violence.
In a statement on Monday, the rights organisation said gunmen invaded the village on Sunday during Easter celebrations, killing residents, injuring dozens, and setting homes and shops on fire.
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“Families are still searching for those missing since the attack,” Amnesty International said, noting that the incident reflects a pattern of unchecked violence in the state.
The organisation added that more than 500,000 people have been displaced by similar attacks across Benue, many of whom now live in overcrowded camps with limited access to water, food, healthcare, and sanitation.
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“The Nigerian authorities have failed the people of Benue State again and again,” Amnesty International said. “Frequent attacks by gunmen have deprived thousands of people of their rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, freedom of movement and access to livelihoods.”
However, the Benue State Police Command gave a lower casualty figure, confirming that nine bodies were recovered after the attack in Mbatsada, a settlement within Mbalom.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, the command said officers were deployed to the area following a distress call.
“A combined team of security personnel conducted a thorough search of the affected community, during which nine corpses were recovered and evacuated to the General Hospital, Aliade,” the statement said.
The police added that suspected armed herdsmen carried out the attack and that investigations were ongoing to determine the full circumstances.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the incident followed heightened tensions within the locality,” the command said, noting that tactical units, including the Police Mobile Force, had been deployed to restore order and track down the attackers.
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Residents, however, insist the scale of the attack is far greater than official figures suggest.
The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Benue’s rural communities, where residents have repeatedly accused authorities of slow response and inadequate protection.
Police said senior officers, including the Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations and the Area Commander in Gboko, are currently in the area coordinating security efforts.
The Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, urged residents to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information, while assuring that those responsible would be brought to justice.
