In Benue State, Nigeria, a series of violent attacks attributed to armed Fulani militants resulted in the deaths of at least 33 Christians in just three days, between February 3 and 8, 2026
The incidents occurred in several communities in the Kwande and Apa areas, in addition to a kidnapping in another location.
The attacks began on Tuesday, February 3, when armed men stormed the market in the community of Abande, killing 16 Christian civilians and a police officer.
Two days later, on Friday, February 6, another group surrounded the Anwase market, murdering 13 Christian merchants and burning more than 20 houses.
On the same day, in Akpete, in the Apa area, two residents were killed.
Then, on Sunday, February 8, in Tomataan, a retired army officer was murdered and several houses were burned.
In addition to the deaths, a particularly serious incident occurred during a night vigil at St.
John’s Catholic Church in the community of Ojije.
Around 25 armed men stormed the church at approximately 2:00 AM, speaking in Fulfulde and shouting “Allahu Akbar,” while taking nine worshippers, mostly young people, who remain missing.
Community leaders and survivors report that the attackers appear well-organized and come from mountainous areas near the border with Cameroon or the neighboring state of Nasarawa.
Many residents claim these attacks are part of a land dispute, with accusations that the groups seek to occupy areas belonging to Christian communities, mainly the Tiv people, and that there are serious failures in the response from security authorities, despite prior warnings.
The renewed violence has generated fear and outrage in the affected communities, who are calling for urgent action from the federal government and even international assistance to stop the attacks and protect residents.
The situation in Benue remains tense, with reports that the attackers are still hiding in the region, planning new attacks.
Published in 02/10/2026 10h00
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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