ABUJA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- More than 40 people were killed over the weekend in suspected herders' attacks on three villages in Benue, a state in Nigeria's central region, local officials said Tuesday.
Ormin Torsar Victor, head of the Gwer local government area, said the three separate attacks occurred between Friday night and Sunday in villages across the district.
Victor said at least 42 bodies had been recovered so far, 32 of which were found in the villages of Ahume and Aondona. Ten bodies were recovered Saturday from an earlier attack in another village.
The local government official said the search for more bodies was underway, as volunteers continued to comb nearby bushes.
Benue's governor and the state police also confirmed the recent attacks, adding that "innocent citizens" and security personnel were lost to the incidents.
Located in Nigeria's central belt between the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south, Benue has witnessed a series of attacks in recent years.
The motive for the latest bloodshed is unknown. Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria's northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. ■
