Fifteen people killed in a deadly attack on Efeyi Utikpi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State have been laid to rest in a mass burial, as residents continue to grapple with the growing threat of armed attacks and insecurity across farming communities.
The victims, including women and children, were killed on July 28 when suspected armed herders attacked the community in the Ugboju District. The attack reportedly destroyed homes, left residents traumatised and further heightened fears among rural communities already struggling with persistent insecurity.
Residents and community leaders gathered for the mass burial on Saturday, mourning the victims and calling on the Federal Government and the Benue State Government to take stronger action to protect communities from further attacks...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The burial came less than three weeks after another deadly incident in Otukpo Nobi, where eight people, including five adults and three children, were killed and subsequently buried following an attack on July 12.
The repeated attacks have raised fresh concerns about the safety of farmers and other residents in Benue, a state where insecurity has increasingly disrupted agricultural activities and forced some residents to abandon their homes and farmlands.
The situation has become particularly troubling for farmers, with reports emerging that suspected bandits are imposing financial levies on residents before allowing them to access or harvest their farms.
In Mbagena Council Ward of Katsina Ala Local Government Area, a farmer reportedly abandoned his farm after suspected local bandits demanded ₦500,000 before allowing him to harvest his crops.
According to John James, the farmer’s son, the armed men invaded his father’s home and demanded the money, threatening the family after he pleaded for more time to raise the required amount.
The situation reportedly escalated when the farmer’s wife was abducted after the initial payment deadline was not met. The family eventually paid ₦200,000, after which the farmer was allowed to harvest part of his groundnut, beniseed and soybean crops.
However, the attackers allegedly demanded an additional ₦300,000 before he could return to harvest the remaining produce. Faced with continued threats, the farmer eventually fled the community, leaving his crops behind.
The farmer’s son also alleged that several other farmers had experienced similar attacks, while residents were reluctant to report some incidents to security agencies because of fears of reprisals.
He further claimed that some of the suspected bandits were known to residents and were believed to be from the same community, adding another layer of concern to the security situation.
The reported levies have created a disturbing situation in which farmers who should be focused on producing food are being forced to negotiate with armed groups simply to access their own farmland.
The insecurity also threatens agricultural production and food security, as farmers who abandon their farms could lose entire harvests while communities become increasingly dependent on food produced elsewhere.
Security agencies have continued operations in parts of Benue. On July 17, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke reportedly rescued three kidnapped victims during an operation in Katsina Ala Local Government Area. The troops also reported neutralising two suspected terrorists and recovering firearms and ammunition from a hideout.
Despite these operations, the latest attacks and reports of illegal farm levies suggest that significant security challenges remain in several rural communities.
The Benue State Government has repeatedly urged security agencies to intensify operations in affected areas, while Governor Hyacinth Alia has also called for displaced residents to be able to safely return to their ancestral communities.
The mass burial of the 15 victims has therefore become another painful reminder of the human cost of insecurity in Benue. Beyond the immediate loss of lives, families are being displaced, homes destroyed and agricultural activities disrupted as residents struggle to survive amid continuing security threats.
For many communities, the priority now is not only justice for those killed but also effective protection that will allow residents to return to their homes, farmers to safely cultivate their land and families to live without the constant fear of attacks, abductions and extortion.
The latest developments have once again placed the security situation in Benue under national attention, with growing calls for stronger and sustained measures to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further loss of lives.
