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Over 50 Killed in Latest Plateau State Attacks as Violence Escalates

Coordinated assaults on Zike and Kimakpa villages highlight worsening ethno-religious tensions and security failures in Nigeria's Middle Belt.

TOPSHOT - Pall bearers carry coffins during the funeral service for people killed during clashes between cattle herders and farmers, on January 11, 2018, in Ibrahim Babangida Square in the Benue state capital Makurdi. - Violence between the mainly Muslim Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers has claimed thousands of lives across Nigeria's central states over the past few decades. The conflict is being driven by an increasing need for resources -- primarily land and water -- and is often exacerbated by ethnic and sectarian grievances. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP) (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images)
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Map of Nigeria locating Plateau state, where intercommunal violence is known to flare
Members of St Leo Catholic Church hold a procession to mark Palm Sunday in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, on April 13, 2025. (Photo by Adekunle Ajayi)

Overview

  • At least 51 people were killed in coordinated attacks on Zike and Kimakpa villages in Nigeria's Plateau state early Monday morning, with mass burials underway.
  • The violence follows an earlier attack less than two weeks ago in the Bokkos area, which left between 48 and 52 dead, marking an alarming escalation in the region.
  • Local authorities and Amnesty International have condemned the attacks, urging independent investigations into security lapses that have allowed such violence to persist.
  • The conflict is rooted in long-standing land disputes between Muslim Fulani herders and predominantly Christian farmers, exacerbated by climate change and weak law enforcement.
  • Thousands have been displaced by the ongoing violence, with communities facing significant trauma, loss of life, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.