The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has reported that over 50 communities across 25 council wards in five local government areas (LGAs) of Benue State have been displaced due to relentless attacks by armed herdsmen.
The announcement, made on April 27, 2025, highlights the escalating humanitarian crisis in the state, with Gwer West LGA being the hardest hit, where all 15 council wards—Sengev, Gbaange/Tongov, Saav, Mbapupuu/Tswarev, Mbabuande Kyaav, Mbapa, Tsambe/Mbesev, Sengev/Yengev, Merkyegh, Nyamshi, Tijime, Tyough Ater, and Njaha—have been affected. Other impacted LGAs include Guma, Gwer East, Kwande, and Makurdi, with specific wards in Guma such as Mbadwem, Nyiev, Mbaba, Uvir, and Mbayer/Yandev reporting significant displacement.
SEMA’s information officer, Terna Ager, detailed the crisis in a report titled ‘Displaced Communities in Benue State Where Fulanis Have Settled with Their Cows,’ noting that the armed herdsmen have not only displaced residents but also occupied their lands, preventing farmers from returning to their homes. The attacks, which have intensified in recent weeks, have led to at least 72 deaths in Ukum and Logo LGAs alone, with over 50 houses destroyed in Otobi-Akpa, Otukpo LGA, according to posts on X and local media reports. The violence, often involving sporadic shooting and arson, has forced thousands into 13 official internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, while others seek refuge with relatives. SEMA estimates that over 483,699 IDPs are currently affected, with the number likely higher due to unreported cases.
The crisis has devastated local infrastructure, with markets, healthcare centers, and schools destroyed, particularly in Kwande’s Moon ward, as reported by Iorbee Ihagh, a community leader and President of Mdzou U Tiv Worldwide. Ihagh has renewed calls for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Benue, citing the overwhelming scale of the insecurity.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, addressing a congregation at the Chapel of Grace in Makurdi on April 21, 2025, acknowledged that the state is “under siege” and urged residents to report suspicious activities to security agencies. Despite early intelligence preventing a more devastating outcome in Ukum, the state government, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, is developing a strategic plan to curb the violence. Community leaders and lawmakers, including Hon. Angbo Kennedy, have expressed frustration over the lack of adequate security intervention, with some residents resorting to self-defense due to perceived inaction.