Tension In Benue As Herdsmen Graze Farmlands, Youths Intercept Bus.
Makurdi, Benue State – Tensions have flared in Benue State following reports of herdsmen grazing their cattle on local farmlands, prompting a dramatic response from angry youths who intercepted a bus carrying herders. The incident, which occurred in the Guma Local Government Area, has reignited longstanding grievances over land use and security in the region, as communities grapple with the devastating impact of recurring conflicts.
According to local sources, the trouble began when herdsmen, allegedly Fulani, allowed their cattle to graze on farmlands in Yelewata and surrounding areas, destroying crops vital to the livelihoods of local farmers. The destruction of these farmlands, a critical source of income and sustenance for the predominantly agrarian communities, sparked outrage among residents. In response, a group of youths, frustrated by what they perceive as government inaction, took matters into their own hands by intercepting a bus believed to be transporting herders into the area.
The confrontation reportedly took place along the Abuja-Makurdi highway, a key route connecting Nigeria’s capital to the state. The youths, numbering in the dozens, blocked the road, halting vehicular movement and demanding answers from the passengers. Eyewitnesses described a tense standoff, with the youths chanting slogans and holding placards condemning the persistent destruction of their farmlands. “We cannot continue to watch our crops destroyed while the government does nothing,” one protester, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Guardian.
The incident follows a series of deadly attacks in Benue, with recent reports indicating that over 300 lives were lost in a single assault on Yelewata and Daudu communities on 14 May 2025. Survivors described a night of terror as suspected armed herdsmen set homes ablaze, opened fire on residents, and left a trail of destruction. The massacre, one of the deadliest in the state’s recent history, has amplified calls for decisive action to address the herder-farmer conflict that has plagued Benue for decades.
Community leaders have expressed frustration over what they describe as a lack of political will to tackle the root causes of the violence. “The government knows the herders are destroying our farmlands, yet they do nothing. Our people are being killed, our crops ruined, and our communities displaced,” said a local leader, Mr. Joseph Iortyom. He accused authorities of failing to act on credible intelligence that could prevent such attacks.
In response to the escalating crisis, President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the recent killings and has vowed to address the issue of land-grabbing, which he suggested may be a driving factor behind the violence. During a visit to Benue, the President met with survivors at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi and announced the formation of a committee, comprising four former Benue governors and two prominent traditional rulers, to seek lasting solutions to the conflict.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has also condemned the violence, describing the situation in Benue as a “genocide” and a consequence of “government inaction.” In a statement, NEF spokesperson Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere warned that the state, a vital agricultural hub, risks descending into lawlessness if the crisis is not addressed urgently.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command confirmed the interception of the bus but declined to provide details on casualties or arrests. The police have since deployed Special Forces to the region, with air surveillance now in operation around Makurdi and its environs to curb further violence.
Local residents, however, remain sceptical. “We’ve heard promises before, but nothing changes,” said Maryam Aondover, a farmer whose crops were destroyed in the recent grazing incident. “Our farmlands are our life. If they are gone, we have nothing left.”
The herder-farmer conflict in Benue is part of a broader national challenge, with similar clashes reported in states such as Plateau, Nasarawa, and Oyo. Analysts have called for the modernisation of grazing practices, arguing that open grazing is unsustainable and fuels conflict. In Oyo State, for instance, authorities have arrested over 58 cows and prosecuted herdsmen for violating anti-open grazing laws, a measure Benue residents are now demanding their government emulate.
As tensions simmer, the people of Benue await concrete action from both state and federal governments to restore peace and protect their farmlands. For now, the interception of the bus by angry youths serves as a stark reminder of the deep-seated frustrations in a region battered by violence and neglect.
