ABUJA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 people have been confirmed killed following fresh violence in Nigeria's north-central state of Benue, according to local officials on Wednesday.
Violence broke out in a Benue community since Monday, after some local herdsmen reported a case of cattle rustling, the state governor, Sam Ortom, told reporters.
Mostly women and children have been victims of the violence in Omusu Edimoga community, said Ortom, who described the killing as "senseless."
He accused the local herdsmen of going into the community to wreak havoc, instead of waiting for the outcome of the police investigation on the reported case of cattle rustling.
Another local official said some school children were killed by the attackers on Monday and Tuesday, as they threatened to harm more people.
A peace meeting is in the offing, to end the violence, the local official added.
Killings by herdsmen had increased since the start of the new year in Benue, where relations between herdsmen and farmers remained tense.
On Jan. 11, a mass burial was held for 71 people killed in a violence allegedly perpetrated, also by herdsmen, in the north-central state.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is expected in the state soon, to seek an end to the attacks.
