Renewed attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen in Benue State have reignited fears of widespread displacement and food insecurity, with locals and stakeholders raising alarm over the growing crisis.
Hon. Terseer Ugbor, representing Kwande/Ushongo federal constituency, revealed that over 40% of arable farmlands in Benue have been seized by Fulani militias, threatening the region’s food supply. “The major problem is the looming food insecurity, not just for Benue but for Nigeria as a whole,” Ugbor stated during an interactive session with journalists.
He recounted a bold attack by armed herdsmen during the 2024 Christmas holiday in Kwande LGA, a border community with Cameroon, where they destroyed an immigration outpost — the only standing security presence in the area. “The outpost didn’t even have arms to defend itself,” Ugbor lamented.
In Otukpo LGA, six people were killed in fresh attacks on Okpamaju and Asa communities during a hunting expedition. The violence forced women and children to flee, abandoning their homes for safety.
Benue State Police spokesperson, Catherine Anene, confirmed the attacks, describing them as clashes sparked by open grazing on farmlands. “Villagers complained about herders grazing on their farms, leading to violent confrontations that claimed two lives,” she said.
Despite Governor Hyacinth Alia’s claims of addressing the herder-farmer crisis, recurring attacks suggest otherwise. Last year, armed herdsmen killed dozens in Adoka district, Otukpo LGA, destroying crops worth millions.
The Benue State House of Assembly has called on the government to take decisive action. Hon. Kennedy Angbo, representing Otukpo/Apa, raised a motion of urgent public importance, urging security deployments to end the bloodshed. Deputy Speaker Hon. Lami Dalandi echoed the call, highlighting the devastating impact on farming communities.
The Idoma community in the diaspora also condemned the attacks and the perceived inaction of authorities. Edwin Ochai, President of the group, criticized the government’s indifference, stating, “Issuing press statements is no longer enough. Our leaders must act decisively.”
Locals now live in fear, with many abandoning their farms. Sunday Oga, a farmer, recounted being chased off his land by an armed herdsman, leaving his harvest behind. Another hunter described a deadly encounter where two of his colleagues were killed during a hunting trip in Okpamaju.
Otukpo’s paramount ruler, Chief John Eimonye, plans to meet with herdsmen leaders to seek peaceful resolutions but denied claims that herders pay local chiefs for grazing rights.
Otukpo LGA Chairman, Ogiri, confirmed the deployment of police and soldiers to the affected areas. “Security forces are now on the ground to restore peace,” he assured, while also calling on the federal government for stronger intervention.
Residents of nearby communities, fearing further violence, have fled their homes. With the farming season approaching, locals worry about survival without access to their lands. “If displaced farmers can’t return, how will they survive?” one resident asked.
As tensions rise, stakeholders demand urgent and concrete steps to end the violence and protect lives and livelihoods in Benue.
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