At least 140 villagers killed by suspected herders in weekend attacks in north-central Nigeria

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian officials and survivors say at least 140 people were killed by gunmen in weekend attacks on remote villages in north-central Nigeria’s Plateau state. It was the latest of such mass killing this year blamed on the country’s farmer-herder crisis. Plateau Gov. Caleb Mutfwang said on Tuesday that 17 communities were targeted in “senseless and unprovoked” attacks on Saturday and Sunday. Locals blamed the attackers on herders from the Fulani ethnic group, accused of carrying out such attacks across Nigeria’s northwest and central regions where the conflict between farmers and herders has persisted for decades. The Nigerian army said it’s carrying out “clearance operations” in search of the suspects though arrests are rare in such attacks.