An attack in a town in central Nigeria has killed at least 45 people, AFP reported on Saturday.
Spokesman Tirso Kola said at least 45 people were confirmed killed by armed robbers early Saturday in Yelwata, Benue State, in central Nigeria.
Local sources had previously reported that about 100 people were killed.
"It's very dangerous. Many people have died, maybe more than 100, and many houses have been burned," said one resident, and other residents gave the same toll.
"There was a confirmed attack on the town of Yelwata that lasted for about two hours, with casualties and several houses set on fire," the regional governor's spokesman said.
He added that local government officials and the police commissioner visited Yelwata and confirmed the deaths of 45 people.
Attacks in this region, which is part of Nigeria's central belt, are often motivated by religion or ethnicity.
Two weeks ago, a Nigerian Air Force spokesman said it had killed more than 20 members of an armed group and destroyed 21 motorcycles in an airstrike in Zamfara State in northwestern Nigeria, thwarting a planned large-scale attack on villages.
Ehiman Igoudami said the strike was launched following intelligence reports that a large number of terrorists had gathered and were preparing to launch an attack on safe residential areas.
