Residents of farming communities in Benue State are fleeing their homes as a fresh wave of violence linked to suspected herders disrupts rural life and threatens food production.
In Guma Local Government Area, farmers in Uvir and Nyiev wards have abandoned their farmlands following repeated attacks and killings in recent weeks. The situation has worsened since the onset of the rainy season, a critical planting period, leaving vast stretches of fertile land uncultivated.
Locals say armed herders now move freely through these communities with cattle, making it too dangerous for farmers to return. As a result, many residents remain in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, unable to resume their livelihoods.
Normal activities are now largely restricted to Gbajimba, the council headquarters, and parts of Mbawa ward, where relative calm persists. However, the broader agricultural belt has been severely affected.
A similar pattern has emerged in Gwer West Local Government Area, a key rice-producing region. Naka, the headquarters, remains the only relatively safe zone, as villagers continue to pour into the town after fleeing their homes.
Tensions escalated further after a recent attack in Mbalom, where 17 people were reportedly killed. Survivors who fled to nearby communities including Ikpayongu, Igbor and Aliade say they still fear returning, citing ongoing insecurity.
One resident, Joe Shom from Ikyaribo village in Guma, recounted how he narrowly escaped death by running into a nearby forest during an attack. He added that his sister was later assaulted by the attackers, highlighting the human cost of the violence.
The crisis is deepening concerns over food security in Benue, widely regarded as Nigeria’s food basket, as farmers remain cut off from their lands at a crucial time in the agricultural calendar.
