Herdsmen Renew Attack on Benue Community, Farmer Killed, Several Injured

Residents of Tse Akor Gbatse village in Nyiev Ward, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, were thrown into mourning over the weekend following a violent invasion by suspected armed herders.

The attack, which occurred late Sunday, left one farmer dead, two women badly injured, and several villagers missing.

The deceased was identified as Tachia Akor, a local farmer. His wife and another woman, Mrs. Tsetim, were among those injured in the assault. Eyewitnesses said the armed herders launched the raid from Rukubi in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, storming the village and unleashing violence on unsuspecting residents.

Community sources revealed that villagers had earlier raised the alarm over possible attacks after noticing strange movements in the area.

Despite the warning, the herders still struck, forcing many residents to flee their homes.

By Monday morning, parts of the community were deserted as families sought safety in neighbouring towns.

Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command said it had received reports of the attack and immediately deployed operatives to the area. The command added that investigations are ongoing and that security patrols have been intensified to forestall further violence.

The attack is the latest in a series of violent clashes in Benue, a state repeatedly targeted in herder–farmer conflicts. Similar incidents were recorded earlier this year in Gwer West and other parts of the state, where farmers have accused herdsmen of destroying farmlands and displacing communities.

While authorities insist that normalcy has been restored, residents of Tse Akor Gbatse say fear still lingers.

Many are calling on both the federal and state governments to take stronger measures to secure farming communities, particularly in Guma, which has suffered repeated invasions in recent years.