Thursday, May 18, 2023 | 03:03 p.m
Clashes in Nigeria
Today, Thursday, a local official announced that the death toll in the wake of clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Plateau state in central Nigeria had jumped from 30 to 85.
Victims of clashes in Nigeria
Minister Dabot Daniel, head of the Local Government Council, told AFP that after the attacks that took place last Monday in the Mango area, 85 bodies were recovered, adding that there were some people injured without giving numbers, several houses were destroyed, and many people were displaced from their homes to now.
Clashes in Nigeria
The State Emergency Management Agency (SIMA) said thousands of people had been displaced from their homes in the aftermath of the attacks.
The area of clashes lies on the dividing line between northern Nigeria, which is inhabited by a Muslim majority, and the south, which is inhabited by a Christian majority, and has been battling for years ethnic and religious violence.
It is not clear what sparked the recent violence, but revenge killings between herders and farmers often escalated into raids on villages by armed gangs.
Clashes in Nigeria
Johnny Bala, director of the Sima Search and Rescue Centre, said that search and rescue teams visited the area of the clashes on Wednesday.
They could see houses burning but could not go any further because there was an angry mob there, Bala told AFP.
On Thursday, police said they had arrested five people in connection with the violence.
Police spokesman Alfred Alabu said in a statement that a heavy security presence had been deployed.
He reported that calm has been restored so far to the Manju Local Government general area while monitoring continues.
Clashes in Nigeria
