ABUJA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Eight suspects have been arrested by the local police following the bloody attacks which claimed more than 50 lives in Nigeria's north-central state of Benue on New Year's Day, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Moses Yamu, the spokesman for the state police, said the suspects, all herdsmen, had made confessions to the security agency.

Moses said the police had also made additional deployments to the troubled area to forestall further occurrence and restore the confidence of the people.

The attacks which began on Sunday continued until Tuesday, before the police's intervention.

Speaking to reporters earlier in Markurdi, the Benue State capital, Governor Samuel Ortom said at least 50 people, including nine livestock guards, were killed in the attacks.

Several people had their hands chopped off, Ortom added.

Benue had brought into effect an anti-open grazing law on Nov. 1, 2017. The law stipulates five-year jail term for violators.

The New Year's Day attack was the first by suspected herdsmen since the law came into effect.