Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of Akum Ward in Nasarawa State have made an impassioned appeal to President Bola Tinubu to intervene following the brutal killing of a young farmer by suspected armed herders, an incident that has heightened fears among a population already traumatised by previous waves of violence in the area. According to community member Yahaya Kana Ismaila, the victim was attacked and killed on Saturday, 4 July 2026, while returning from his farm, a journey that should have been routine but instead ended in tragedy. The latest killing occurred within the same general axis where more than 80 people were killed in a series of attacks earlier this year, forcing many residents to flee their homes and abandon their livelihoods.
Ismaila, who has emerged as a vocal community voice in the wake of the violence, alleged that those displaced by the earlier attacks have been unable to return because of persistent insecurity and the continued presence of the suspected attackers. In a statement that underscores the depth of the community's frustration, he claimed that none of those responsible for the previous massacres has been arrested, despite repeated calls for justice. "The people who carried out the attacks are allegedly moving freely in the communities, while those who attempted to return to their farms continue to live in fear," Ismaila said. He warned that the renewed attacks could trigger reprisals if urgent action is not taken to address the security situation, raising the spectre of an escalating cycle of violence that could engulf the entire region.
The community leader also levelled sharp criticism at the Nasarawa State Government, accusing it of downplaying the earlier violence by describing it as a communal clash rather than the targeted assault he insists it was. "There appears to be a deliberate attempt to force our people out of their ancestral homes," Ismaila stated, making a direct and urgent appeal to President Tinubu. "We are calling on President Bola Tinubu to come to our aid and restore peace to our communities". He urged the Federal Government to strengthen security in the affected communities and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are brought to justice. Ismaila also called on the member representing the area in the State House of Assembly, Gaza Gbefwi, to continue drawing the attention of relevant authorities to the security challenges facing the affected communities.
Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi, who represents the Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is a prominent politician currently serving his third term under the Social Democratic Party. He has been a significant figure in Nasarawa State politics and is reportedly being considered for the governorship race in the 2027 elections. His involvement in highlighting the security crisis in Akum Ward could prove crucial in bringing federal attention to the plight of the community.
The latest tragedy in Akum Ward is far from an isolated incident but rather part of a persistent and deadly pattern of violence that has plagued Nasarawa State for years. The farmer-herder conflict in Nigeria's North Central region has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Between 2020 and early 2025, more than 4,500 people lost their lives in farmers-herders clashes across the North Central region, whilst approximately 450,000 were displaced from their ancestral homes. In the first eight months of 2025 alone, an additional 451 deaths were reported across Nigeria, with Nasarawa State recording 20 fatalities. From 2019 to early 2025, an estimated 2.2 million people were displaced in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states because of herder-farmer conflicts.
Nasarawa State has experienced repeated bouts of violence this year. In January 2026, suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked the Akunza-Ashigye community near Assakio in Lafia Local Government Area, killing four persons and injuring more than 45 others. In March 2026, violence erupted in the Aso A area of Maraba Gurku community in Karu Local Government Area, resulting in three deaths and several injuries. Governor Abdullahi Sule has previously condemned the killing of farmers in the state and ordered investigations, but residents of Akum Ward argue that these measures have not translated into tangible security on the ground. The governor has also been a proponent of peace initiatives, partnering with stakeholders to address the root causes of the conflict.
President Tinubu has previously demonstrated a willingness to intervene in similar crises. In June 2025, following the massacre of over 100 people in Yelewata community in Benue State, he ordered the immediate arrest of the killer herders and urged the Benue State Governor to allocate land for ranching. He also created a Ministry of Livestock Development to address the age-long farmer-herder conflicts in the country. However, for the residents of Akum Ward, these federal initiatives have yet to translate into the protection they desperately need. As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nasarawa State Government nor security agencies had officially reacted to the allegations surrounding the latest killing. The silence from official quarters has only deepened the sense of abandonment felt by a community that has lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods, and now fears that without urgent presidential intervention, more blood will be spilled on the farms that were once their source of life.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments