• Starvation, malnutrition eminent in Benue
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Once upon a time, Benue State was the food basket of the nation. It lavishly fed the nation with farm produce such as oranges, mangoes, yams, cassava, soya beans and beniseed, among others. Its highways were renowned for traffic of trucks heading to market communities or driving out with freshly harvested food items.
But all of these seem to be fading away. Since the herdsmen and their cattle set their feet on the state, this pronounced agricultural heritage has disappeared. In place of lush green fields of farmlands are hurriedly emptied farms or farms already devastated by Fulani herders.
Vitalis Tarnongo is Managing Director, Teryima Nigerian Limited, an agro – firm in the state. He told Daily Sun that in the wake of the series of unending attacks, he has abandoned farming both as a hobby and as a business:
“The attacks and killings serially carried out by suspected herdsmen across the state have left farmers like me with no choice but to abandon our farmlands. I’ve been a victim of these attacks over and over again. I used to farm over 1,000 hectares of land as at 2023. But now, I don’t have even a quarter of a hectare to farm on.
“Even the 1,500 out-growers, who had cultivated crops like maize, soybeans, cowpea and rice for me have nowhere to farm currently. I have 1,500 out-growers faming on one hectare each. Each of them was growing crops like maize, soya beans, cowpea and rice. But as we speak, all these people have nowhere to farm.
“My out-growers in Agatu Local Government particularly reported that they could not access their farmlands due to insecurity. Hunger is around the corner hunger is everywhere. If we don’t act now, the implications will be severe.
“Except the attacks and killings are nipped in the bud, there is the danger of a serious hunger coming. If I could abandon 1000 hectares of farmlands and my out-growers had abandoned 1,500 hectares, making it a total of 2,500 hectares of abandoned farms, you can see how dangerous it is to have a state under siege. Federal Government should assist the state in fighting the insurgents and ending the grim insecurity.”
Another farmer, Gabriel Gbande, said: “Last year, my brother and I borrowed money from a cooperative to invest on our farm. We did over 50 hectares and as we speak, we didn’t harvest up to 2 hectares. Everything; rice, yams and beniseed we planted was eaten up by cows. I am so traumatised. I don’t know how we are going to pay the loans.”
He appealed to the Federal Government to rescue Benue “as the food basket is gradually getting empty and hungry for food.”
Member representing Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala Federal Constituency, Solomon Wombo, condemned the killings in his constituency, insisting that these unjustified acts of terror were not just evil but would certainly impact negatively on the state and the nation. He said 18 of 35 council wards in his constituency are under the control of terrorists: “We are the ones that produce food for Benue people and you know the effects of this siege. Federal Government should give more attention to the security challenges by establishing military barracks in the affected area to protect us from armed herdsmen and terrorists.”
Chairman, Otukpo LG, Maxwell Ogiri, could not put a figure to the number of farmers who lost their lives to the renewed surge of attacks, but insisted that the attacks were targeted at the farming communities and the farmers, whose lives he restated depended solely on agricultural production. He named Okpamaju, Odudaje, Emichi, Akpa, Otobi among others as such affected communities:
“The consequences remain that the attacks have displaced a community of people who are farmers and have created a sense of fear for them to access their farms. The future survival of our people is doubtful.
“A food crisis is already looming and we will get there in a matter of days. I am enjoining the Federal Government to consider enforcing the law passed by the Benue State Government through the House of Assembly that prohibited open grazing across the state.”
Governor Hyacinth Alia recently hinted at the suspicion that land was at the centre of the spate of attack. He disclosed that 72 dead bodies were recovered following attacks carried out on April 17 and 18, 2025:
“We are under siege as a state. We are under attack and those who are attacking us must have a face, must have an aim and must have a drive. They come, they drag people out, they kill to occupy. This is extremely unacceptable.
“A terrorist is a terrorist irrespective of his ethnicity or his religion. Criminality is criminality period! So, whoever commits it is a terrorist and he should not be where the living are.”
He enjoined the people to be steadfast and not to be weighed down by the things happening around them even as he vowed to go to any length to ensure that the people experienced peace.
Prior to the latest attacks, suspected herdsmen had attacked Akpa, Otobi in Otukpo LG, killing 11 persons, injuring others and displacing thousands of villagers, many of who are taking refuge in the Och’Idoma’s Palace, Otukpo.
Also on April 9, 2025, suspected herdsmen attacked Mbasombo in Gwer East LG, killing three persons while several others were reportedly missing.
On April 8, 2025, residents of Atukpu community, in Gwer West LGA fled their homes after suspected herdsmen killed two persons in two different spots in Naka, the council headquarters.
The killings continued unabated reign from Logo and UKum in Zone A, Sankera axis to Otukpo in Zone C as well as other areas of Zone B, according to investigation.