Authorities in Benue State have countered widespread claims suggesting that gunmen carried out deadly assaults across four local government areas, resulting in numerous casualties.
Media outlets both within and outside Nigeria had reported that gunmen staged attacks in Kwande, Ukum, Guma, and Logo LGAs, killing at least 23 people. Some international coverage even quoted statements from Red Cross representatives.
But on Monday, the state’s police spokesperson, Sewuese Anene, debunked the narrative, calling it a misunderstanding. According to her, the deaths actually occurred in Taraba State, not Benue.
“Those people weren’t killed here. There was an incident in Taraba, details are still sketchy, and the bodies were returned to their native village in Ukum for burial. That led people to assume the killings happened here,” she explained.
Anene further clarified that a separate, confirmed shooting in Logo LGA on Friday left two individuals dead after armed men fired randomly in the Ayilamo area.
Security personnel, she added, responded quickly and managed to repel the attackers.
There has been no official word from the Taraba police, and their command has yet to comment publicly.
Benue has seen a surge in deadly violence in recent weeks, mostly from ongoing farmer-herder clashes.
The state’s governor, Hyacinth Alia, has blamed foreign aggressors for the ongoing bloodshed, which has claimed over 100 lives in under two months.