• Over 102 people were killed in a violent attack on Yelewata village in Benue State, Nigeria.
• Armed men, suspected to be criminal herders, attacked the community late Friday night.
• Local officials report hundreds injured and many still missing; urgent medical aid is needed.
• The region has witnessed escalating conflicts between herders and farming communities.
• Benue State authorities are investigating the incident, seeking to bring the attackers to justice.

At least 102 individuals lost their lives in a shocking pre-dawn attack by armed men in Yelewata, a community in Benue State, Nigeria, according to local officials and reports. The assault, thought to be perpetrated by criminal herders, began late Friday and extended into Saturday, marking one of the deadliest incidents in recent months within this conflict-stricken region of Nigeria, characterized by longstanding disputes between farmers and herders over land and resources, according to trtglobal and aa.

The armed assailants reportedly torched homes, with survivors recounting that "many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms," leaving a grim scene of destruction. Medical personnel have appealed for urgent blood donations as more than 100 people are critically injured and many remain unaccounted for, highlighting a dire need for medical support, according to indiatimes and reuters.

Amnesty International has condemned the attack, emphasizing the growing severity of the violence in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria, where ethnic and religious tensions exacerbate land disputes. The crisis has seen over 500 lives lost in recent years, with local laws and practices compounding the complex dynamics between the predominantly Muslim herders and the largely Christian farmers, according to reuters and indiatimes.

Authorities have confirmed the deployment of tactical units to the affected area and are conducting assessments to determine the full extent of the situation. The local government remains committed to uncovering the identities of the attackers and ensuring justice for the victims, according to trtglobal and aa.