At least 140 Nigerian villagers killed in weekend attacks

At least 140 villagers were killed in north-central Nigeria over the weekend, with survivors saying the cause of these killings was due to the farmer-herder crisis in the country. 

Plateau Gov. Caleb Mutfwang said in a broadcast that it has been a "very terrifying Christmas" for those in the region. 

“As I am talking to you, in Mangu local governorate alone, we buried 15 people. As of this morning, in Bokkos, we are counting not less than 100 corpses. I am yet to take stock of (the deaths in) Barkin Ladi,” Mutfwan also said, according to ABC News.

According to reports, assailants targeted 17 communities in the Plateau state where many villagers were murdered and many houses burned to the ground.

Some survivors told The Associated Press that it was over 12 hours before security agencies responded to calls for help.

Although no group has taken responsibility for the attacks yet, herders from the Fulani tribe, who have been accused of carrying out killings across the northwest, are suspects. The region has long seen tension between Christians and Muslims, which has been exacerbated by conflicts over land and water access.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to “scour every stretch of the zone and apprehend the culprits." He also requested “immediate mobilization of relief resources” for the survivors, according to ABC News.