Tension continues to rise in Benue State despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit, as fresh reports of herdsmen grazing cattle on farmlands have emerged from several communities, particularly in Guma Local Government Area.
In Uvir Ward, residents reported an influx of Fulani herdsmen between Wednesday and Thursday, with large numbers of cattle seen roaming through farmlands in Tse-Orvihi and Antsa villages.
Eyewitnesses say the movement has triggered panic among local farmers and villagers, many of whom are now abandoning their homes for fear of renewed violence.
Samuel Jootar, a farmer in the area, told The Guardian that the herders led thousands of cattle directly across cultivated lands.
“These herders just appeared with thousands of cattle, moving freely across our farmlands. People are afraid. We’ve not provoked anyone, but our farmers are already abandoning their homes and crops,” said another farmer, Selumun.
The timing of the herders’ reappearance—coinciding with the President’s visit to commiserate with victims of the recent Yelwata massacre—has added to residents’ anxiety. Over 200 people were reportedly killed in that attack, and the wounds it left are still raw across the state.
