Nearly 50 people were killed by gunmen in a rural village in Nigeria

Dozens of people have been killed in a rural village in northern central Nigeria after an attack by gunmen, according to local government officials.

The incident occurred on Wednesday in Umogidi community in Benue State, where there are frequent clashes between nomadic herders and settled farmers over land and resources.

The security advisor to Benue State governor said that 46 casualties had been counted from the bodies of victims found and retrieved, with many people still missing.

The motive for the attack was not clear, but Benue has seen numerous clashes between farmers and herders, who have been accused of damaging farmland with their cattle grazing.