Officials recover 36 bodies after attack in Nigeria’s north

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Officials in Nigeria’s north-central Benue state say 36 bodies have been recovered after gunmen attacked a remote community. It was the latest incident in a Benue state officials met with families of the victims in the Gbeji community Friday and urged the Nigerian government to license sophisticated guns for the state’s local security force to defend residents. A representative of Benue Gov. Samuel Ortom said during the visit that “our people have to defend themselves.” Attacks like that in Gbeji are frequent in Nigeria’s middle belt and central regions where deadly clashes between local communities and herdsmen have raged for years amid disputes over water and land. At least 14 people were killed in a similar incident in another part of Benue a month ago.