France, May 27 -- More than 40 people have been killed in separate attacks in recent days in central Nigeria, a local government official said, the latest raids in a region where herders and farmers often clash over land access.

The attacks occurred in three villages between Friday and Sunday, chairman of the Gwer West local government area of Benue state, Ormin Torsar Victor, told news agencies.

At least 42 people were shot dead by suspected herders in a series of weekend attacks across Gwer West district inNigeria's central Benue state, a local official said Reuters on Tuesday.

Thirty-two bodies were recovered from Sunday's assaults on the Ahume and Aondona villages, while 10 more were killed in a separate attack on the villages of T...