A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Benue State as over 50 communities across five local government areas have been displaced by armed herdsmen, according to a fresh report by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
The agency’s findings reveal that Gwer West Local Government Area has suffered the heaviest blow, with all 15 council wards — including Sengev, Saav, Mbapa, Tsambe/Mbesev, among others — experiencing violent incursions that have forced thousands from their homes.
The report, “Displaced Communities in Benue State Where Fulanis Have Settled with Their Cows,” highlights a widespread pattern of land takeover, displacing families from Guma, Gwer East, Kwande, and even Makurdi, the state capital.
In Guma LGA alone, communities in Mbadwem, Nyiev, Mbaba, Uvir, and Mbayer/Yandev wards have been sacked. In Gwer East, Mbalom ward has fallen silent as residents flee, while Makurdi’s Mbalagh and Bar wards are battling similar fates. Kwande’s Moon and Anwase wards have also suffered devastating losses.
“There are many more affected communities beyond this list,” said Terna Ager, SEMA’s Information Officer. “The figures are likely to rise.”
The human toll is staggering. Markets, clinics, schools, and churches have been destroyed. Survivors have flooded into 13 overcrowded internally displaced persons (IDP) camps scattered across the state, while many others are crammed into relatives’ homes, hoping for safety.
Iorbee Ihagh, a retired Comptroller of Prisons and President of Mdzou U Tiv Worldwide, described the reality from Moon ward in Kwande LGA, where entire communities have been abandoned for years.
Calling for urgent federal intervention, Ihagh said, “Benue is dying slowly. A state of emergency is no longer an option — it is a necessity.”
Many IDPs have endured life in camps for more than eight years, watching their dreams of returning home slip away with each new attack.
The state’s leaders and humanitarian groups warn that unless swift action is taken, the crisis could spiral into an even greater national tragedy.