Locals said that the incident happened on Christmas Day and splilled into Thursday.

But there were conflicting reports about the number of casualties as some residents claimed that 26 people were killed during a Christmas service at NKST Azege in Kwande while others placed the death toll at 11.

President General of Mzough U Tiv (MUT), an umbrella body of the Tiv nation, CP Iorbee  Ihagh (retd.), told journalists in Makurdi that information available to him suggested that 11 people were reportedly killed during the Christmas day attack on communities in Kwande LGA.

Ihagh described the attack as unprovoked, alleging that armed men invaded the community, leaving many dead and others missing.

“Leaders of the affected areas have reported the incident to the police,” he said.

Chief Joseph Har, the Special Adviser on Internal Security to the Benue Governor, confirmed the attack but declined to provide further details.

Efforts to reach the Director-General of Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (retd.), were unsuccessful as his line was not connecting at the time of this report.

Police spokesperson for Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene told our correspondent on the telephone that she was yet to receive any report about the incident in Kwande LGA.