At least 17 people were killed during an attack on the Mbalom community in Benue State's Gwer East Local Government Area on Easter Sunday. Armed assailants stormed the village, opening fire on residents and setting homes ablaze, causing widespread destruction and displacement. Survivors reported chaos as families fled into nearby forests to escape the violence, with property worth millions of naira destroyed. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and several people remain unaccounted for.
In a separate incident, suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Awapul in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State at about 1.30am on Sunday. Borno State Police Command spokesperson Nahum Daso confirmed the attack but stated no lives were lost. Multiple shops and homes were set on fire, and grains were looted by the attackers. A civilian joint task force source confirmed the looting and destruction of infrastructure.
Security agencies have not issued a detailed statement on the Benue killings, though efforts are expected to intensify in both regions.
Seventeen deaths in Mbalom on Easter Sunday expose how little safety residents in Benue have, even during moments of communal peace. The failure to prevent such attacks, while Boko Haram operates in Chibok with impunity, signals a collapse in local security architecture. For Nigerians in these regions, the state's absence is not an oversight—it is the status quo.
