At least 17 people were killed in a violent attack on Mbalom village in Benue State during Easter celebrations, according to Amnesty International. The group attributed the deaths to armed attackers who stormed the community on Sunday, setting homes and shops on fire and leaving many injured. Amnesty International stated that more than 500,000 people have been displaced across Benue due to recurring violence, with survivors living in overcrowded camps lacking clean water, food, healthcare, and sanitation. "Families are still searching for those missing since the attack," the organisation said, accusing Nigerian authorities of repeated failure to protect civilians.
The Benue State Police Command confirmed only nine bodies recovered from Mbatsada, a settlement within Mbalom. Police Public Relations Officer Udeme Edet said security forces responded to a distress call and deployed a combined team that evacuated the corpses to General Hospital, Aliade. Authorities named suspected armed herdsmen as perpetrators, citing preliminary findings of heightened local tensions. Tactical teams, including the Police Mobile Force, have been mobilised to restore order. Commissioner of Police Ifeanyi Emenari urged residents to remain calm and provide information for ongoing investigations.
Amnesty International's claim of 17 deaths—eight more than the police count—exposes a widening credibility gap between human rights groups and official accounts in Benue. When the Commissioner of Police asserts justice will be served, yet the state cannot agree on how many people died, public trust erodes further. For Nigerians in conflict zones, inconsistent reporting isn't just confusing—it signals that their lives are being measured differently by those meant to protect them.
