At Least Four Dead, Women Abducted in Fresh Herders’ Attacks on Benue Communities

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa

MAKURDI, Nigeria — Violence erupted again in Benue State’s rural heartland, leaving at least four people dead and several women abducted in a wave of attacks by suspected armed herders that has deepened insecurity in the central Nigerian region. The assaults, reported on Thursday in the Udei and Nzorov communities of Guma Local Government Area, have sparked fear among residents and amplified long‑standing concerns about escalating herder‑farmer conflicts that have claimed thousands of lives across the Middle Belt. 

According to eyewitness accounts and community reports, the attackers — believed to be members of armed herder groups — invaded remote settlements in the early hours of the morning, opening fire on civilians and killing at least four people. Several women were seized during the raids, with relatives and neighbours reporting that they were taken at gunpoint to unknown locations. In one harrowing account, survivors described brutal treatment inflicted upon some of the women before their abduction. 

The victims, many of whom were engaged in everyday activities like farming or gathering food, suffered sudden violence that left neighbours in shock. One displaced resident, speaking on condition of anonymity due to security fears, said villagers fled into nearby bushland in panic as gunshots echoed through their hamlets. Families who had lived in the area for generations now face not just loss of loved ones but also deep uncertainty over the fate of those kidnapped. 

Local health facilities in Makurdi reported receiving the bodies of some slain victims, while others injured in the attacks were being treated for gunshot wounds. The ability of hospitals and clinics to respond has been strained, as intermittent access and limited security make transporting victims to medical care a dangerous task in many parts of the state. Health workers have called for heightened protection of medical convoys and safe corridors for civilians needing urgent care. 

Benue State, often referred to as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” has endured a protracted cycle of violence linked to clashes between nomadic herders and sedentary farming communities. These confrontations — rooted in competition over land, water and grazing rights — have frequently escalated into deadly attacks on villages, farmers and entire families. Human rights groups have documented waves of bloodshed that have devastated communities, triggering large‑scale displacement and humanitarian distress across this central region of Nigeria. 

Analysts note that the murder and abduction of civilians in Udei and neighbouring communities reflect a disturbing pattern of insecurity that transcends occasional skirmishes. Entire villages have at times been attacked, homes burned and crops destroyed, leaving survivors struggling to rebuild amid ongoing threat. A spokesperson for a community defence group in Guma lamented that residents live “in perpetual fear,” wary of returning to their farms or homes even during daylight hours. 

Security forces, including the Nigeria Police Force and military units deployed in the state, have been criticised by some residents for failing to deter repeated raids. Although authorities often issue statements condemning violence and promising reinforcements, many locals question the efficacy and timeliness of government responses. In past incidents, villagers have accused officials of arriving only after attackers have fled, intensifying frustration and mistrust.

The abduction of women has heightened concerns for their safety, as kidnapped individuals in similar attacks have, at times, been held for ransom or subjected to abuse. Families of the missing have appealed to both state and federal security agencies to prioritise rescue efforts. Civil society activists stress that without immediate action, the psychological trauma inflicted on survivors and the community at large will leave deep scars that could undermine prospects for peace. 

Benue’s crisis is not isolated; neighbouring states in Nigeria’s North‑Central region, including Plateau, Nasarawa and Taraba, have experienced comparable outbreaks of violence between herders and farmers. Recent reports from across the region have documented similar incidents, with scores of people killed and others abducted in chains of retaliatory assaults that have spiked since early 2025. 

Observers and local leaders are calling for renewed efforts to enforce existing anti‑open grazing laws and to implement sustainable mechanisms that address the root causes of conflict. Suggestions include establishing designated grazing reserves, strengthening community policing structures, and deploying advanced monitoring technologies to pre‑empt attacks. These proposals, however, require coordination between federal, state and local authorities — a challenge in Nigeria’s complex security landscape. 

The humanitarian implications are stark. Beyond the immediate toll of deaths and kidnappings, repeated insecurity has crippled agricultural production, reduced market activity and exacerbated food insecurity in rural areas that traditionally serve as feeding grounds for Nigeria’s vast population. Aid organisations have warned that without improved protection of civilians and sustained dialogue between conflicting groups, displaced persons may face long‑term deprivation and social fragmentation.

As families in Udei and surrounding communities mourn their dead and search for those taken, the violence underscores the urgent need for comprehensive peacebuilding initiatives. Community elders have called on traditional rulers, government officials and security agencies to convene talks aimed at addressing the cyclical nature of violence that has trapped Benue’s countryside in persistent fear and instability. 

The latest attacks in Benue strike at a delicate moment when efforts to revive agricultural activity and promote rural development were gaining traction. If unchecked, analysts warn, continued insecurity could reverse fragile gains and leave a generation of Nigerians in the region bearing the brunt of violence that has become all too commonplace. 

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