At least 16 local farmers and three residents have been killed in fresh attacks by gunmen in Kwande Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The farmers were reportedly ambushed on Saturday along Kashimbila Road while returning to their community in Mbandwa ward. Their attackers killed them and dumped their bodies into River Katsina Ala.
The gunmen struck again on Monday, invading Boaguwa in Kumakua council ward, where they killed three more residents. The attacks have forced thousands of residents to flee their homes, heightening security concerns in the area.
Eyewitness Accounts
According to a Kwande resident quoted by Daily Trust, “The farmers were returning home when they were ambushed. Their bodies were dumped in the river.”
The President General of Mzough U Tiv Worldwide, a coalition of Benue’s three major socio-cultural groups—Mzough U Tiv, Ochi’ Idoma, and Om’Ngede—confirmed the attacks. Iorbee Ihagh, a retired Comptroller of Prisons who hails from Kwande, expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation.
“I was informed that 16 farmers were killed over the weekend and their bodies thrown into River Katsina Ala. Just today, three more have been killed in Boaguwa. People have fled their homes, and I doubt if Jato Aka itself is safe,” Ihagh said.
He further disclosed that all six council wards in Turan, Kwande LGA, have been overrun by gunmen. Ihagh urged President Bola Tinubu to deploy additional security forces to restore peace in the area.
Government and Security Response
Efforts to get an official response from the Benue State government were unsuccessful.
Repeated calls to the Chairman of Kwande LGA, Terhile Vitalis Neji, went unanswered. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security, Joseph Har, referred inquiries to the Director General of Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (retd.), but Gbamwuan’s phone was unreachable. Similarly, the Benue State Police Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, could not be reached.
Rising Insecurity in Benue
The attacks in Kwande may be linked to the persistent herder-farmer conflict in Benue State, driven by disputes over land and water resources. Farmers have long accused herders of destroying crops, while herders claim restrictive anti-grazing laws negatively impact their traditional pastoral lifestyle.
Benue State enacted the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in 2017 to address the crisis. The law requires livestock to be kept in ranches, banning open grazing. While many farmers support the law, herder groups, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), argue it is discriminatory.
Call for Federal Intervention
With worsening security in Benue State, calls for federal intervention have intensified. Community leaders have urged President Tinubu to take immediate action to prevent further attacks and protect displaced residents.
