Hunger looms as terrorists seize 40% of Benue farmlands

House of Representatives member, Terseer Ugbor, has raised alarm over escalating attacks by suspected Fulani militia in Benue State, warning that the crisis poses a severe threat to food security in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Ugbor, who represents Kwande/Ushongu Federal Constituency and chairs the ad hoc committee on student loans, revealed that more than 40% of the state’s arable farmlands have been seized by bandits.

“The major concern is the devastating impact on food security, not just for Benue but for the entire country. According to reports, over 40% of farmlands in the state have been taken over by Fulani bandits,” he stated.

Recalling a violent attack during the 2024 Christmas season in Kwande Local Government Area, a border community with Cameroon, Ugbor noted that the situation has worsened. He disclosed that the assailants had grown so bold that they attacked and burned down an immigration outpost—one of the few security structures in the area.

He called for urgent intervention to curb the rising violence and protect farming communities from further displacement.