Central Nigeria explosion: death toll rises to 40, says local govt

• The explosion happened in the community of Rukubi, in Central Nigeria.
• The area is notorious for racial and religious conflict.
• An umbrella organization for herders blamed a Nigerian military jet for the explosion.

The local government announced on Thursday that the death toll from a bomb explosion that killed a group of herders in central Nigeria has increased from 27 to 40.

The explosion on Wednesday happened in the community of Rukubi, which is on the border of the states of Nasarawa and Benue and is notorious for racial and religious conflict.

Governor of Nasarawa Abdullahi Sule told reporters on Thursday, “We now have approximately 40 people that were killed,.”

Sule stated on Arise News television late Wednesday: “The rumor earlier was that the air force carried out the bombing but right now we understand that there was no air force plane that flew (above) the area.”

“Instead it was a drone that flew (above) the area and dropped the bomb,” Sule said, without specifying who was operating the aircraft

An umbrella organization for herders claimed that a Nigerian military jet was to blame for the explosion.

Lawal Dano of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria said on Wednesday that he was demanding a government probe because “We all know it is only the military that possess jets to carry out aerial strikes.”

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