Five Farmers Murdered in Benue Harvest Attack Tragedy struck the Udeku Maav-Ya community in Kwande Local Government Area on Tuesday after suspected armed herders opened fire on farmers harvesting yams and bambara nuts. The assault, which claimed five lives, has paralyzed agricultural and social activities in the Turan District. Tersua Yarkwan, Chairman of Kwande LGA, confirmed the deaths and noted that the attackers’ refusal to withdraw from the area has triggered a wave of panic and heightened tension among the residents.
Local leaders are raising the alarm over a burgeoning humanitarian crisis in Kwande, as sustained violence prevents farmers from accessing their land. Former Supervisory Councillor Akerigba Lawrence decried the relentless assaults, noting that beyond the loss of life, residents are suffering from the systematic destruction of their homes, crops, and economic trees. He further revealed that the community has been cut off from vital water sources, leaving survivors in an increasingly desperate situation.
Former councillor Akerigba Lawrence has released the names of three of the victims: Tyozua Gyuse, Gbaga Gyuse, and Tersuur Ijighka. While the identities of the remaining two deceased are still being verified, a sense of dread persists as several other residents remain unaccounted for. Local volunteers and family members have launched search operations in the surrounding bushes, hoping to locate those declared missing following the afternoon ambush.
Lawrence added that schools, churches, and markets have been forced to shut down following repeated attacks.
