Abuja: Violence continues to tighten its grip on parts of Nigeria as armed attacks on rural communities claim more lives and worsen an already fragile humanitarian situation in the country’s northwest and north-central regions.
At least 13 people were killed on Friday when gunmen launched a deadly assault on a busy community market in Benue State. The attack took place at the Anwase Market in Mbaikyor, located in the Kwande Local Government Area, and marks the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting civilians in rural settlements.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers descended on the market during peak trading hours, emerging from a nearby mountain. They fired shots into the air to scatter traders and shoppers before setting several market stalls ablaze. In addition to the killings, women were reportedly abducted during the chaos, deepening the trauma for the local community.
The Benue market attack followed another deadly incident just two days earlier, when armed assailants struck the Abande community, killing at least 17 people. The back-to-back assaults have heightened fears among residents that insecurity in the region is rapidly deteriorating, with little respite in sight.
Local communities have repeatedly appealed to both state and federal authorities to strengthen security operations, warning that rural areas remain dangerously exposed to repeated attacks. Many residents say the lack of consistent security presence has left villages vulnerable to armed groups operating with impunity.
Violence has also flared in neighbouring Kwara State. On February 3, armed groups attacked two villages, leaving several people dead. Officials say the death toll is expected to rise as search operations continue and more bodies are recovered. Survivors reported that many victims were shot at close range, while homes and shops were looted and set on fire.
The cumulative impact of these attacks has been devastating. Thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in nearby bushland or overcrowded communities. Aid agencies warn that the ongoing violence is driving large-scale displacement, worsening food shortages, and increasing levels of hunger and malnutrition across affected regions.
As insecurity spreads, humanitarian workers and local leaders caution that without urgent and sustained intervention, the crisis in Nigeria’s northwest and north-central zones could deepen further, placing millions of vulnerable people at risk.