Suspected herdsmen set ablaze rice farm in Benue, destroy harvest worth millions

A large rice farm belonging to a local farmer, Mr. Ugbakayaa, was reportedly set ablaze on Sunday afternoon, November 2, 2025, by suspected Fulani herdsmen at Tse Orbiam along the Naka–Makurdi road in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

According to eyewitness accounts, the fire consumed the entire rice field, which covered several hectares. Heaps of already harvested rice, gathered for threshing, were also completely destroyed.

An eyewitness, Mr. Ado Bartholomew, who watched helplessly as the inferno spread, described the scene as devastating.

“The whole farm went up in flames within minutes. All the rice that had been harvested and packed for threshing was destroyed,” he lamented.

The destruction has left the Ugbakayaa family in despair, as the farm was their primary source of livelihood and food supply.

Sympathizers who visited the scene expressed deep sorrow over what they described as another act in the persistent wave of attacks on farming communities in Benue State. They noted that such incidents have continued to cripple local agriculture and worsen food insecurity in the region.

They also appealed to the security agencies and the Nigerian government to intensify efforts in protecting farmers in Gwer West, who have suffered years of repeated assaults, displacement, and loss of property due to attacks by armed herdsmen.

As of the time of filing this report, security op