Fear has gripped farmers in Gwer West local government area of Benue State as armed herdsmen, reportedly displaced by recent U.S. air strikes in northern Nigeria, flood the region.
The influx has forced residents to abandon their farms en masse, amid reports of killings, kidnappings, rape and widespread destruction of crops.
His Royal Majesty Daniel Abomtse, Chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council, who raised the alarm, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, describes Gwer West as "the epicentre of attacks and killings in Benue State."
He said that as of 31st December, 2025, 701 people have been killed and properties and farms worth billions of naira destroyed by marauding herders, whom he described as "Islamic extremist radicals."
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"The US attack in Sokoto sent fierce, heavily armed men across the Nasarawa borders into Gwer West with their cattle, which are already grazing on people's farms," Abomtse said.
"Farmers have abandoned their fields for safety.
I personally lost 18 hectares of guinea corn and 10 hectares of cassava to cattle grazing under the watch of security personnel."
He cited the case of a housewife from Tsenongu, Kwaghaondo Nyiyuhwe, who was chased by herders and escaped narrowly. "The matter was reported to the Chief of Staff Special Unit, Lt-Col Lawal, but nothing was done.
"I have lost confidence in the Army personnel here; all the killings, kidnappings, rape, and attacks happen under their noses," the monarch added.
Abomtse called on U.S. troops to extend their operations to Benue to flush out the bandits fleeing from Sokoto and other affected states, urging that this would enable farmers to harvest their crops and avert looming hunger threats.
The situation has also hampered humanitarian aid, as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Gwer West suffer due to insecurity blocking the Makurdi-Naka road, a critical 30-km corridor for relief supplies.
Council Chairman Victor Ormin corroborated the monarch's account, lamenting the recent surge of armed herdsmen at the Nasarawa and Agatu borders, especially during harvest season.
"For the past week, herdsmen have been grazing on people's farms. We call on security agencies to act swiftly so our people can harvest their crops," Ormin said in a telephone interview.
When contacted, the Benue State Police Spokesperson, Udeme Edet, said she was hearing the news for the first time, and she would relay it accordingly.
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