Suspected herdsmen set N20m rice farm ablaze in Benue community

Suspected herdsmen set N20m rice farm ablaze in Benue community

By Benedicta Aboh

A rice farm located at Tse Orbiam in Gwer West Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State was reportedly set ablaze on Sunday afternoon by individuals suspected to be armed herders.

An eyewitness, names withheld told reporters that the fire engulfed several hectares of cultivated rice, including heaps of harvested grains gathered for threshing valued at over N20 million.

"The farm and crops burnt is valued at over N20 million. What that means is that the owner of the plantation will suffer set back of immeasurable proportion," he said.

He said the owner of the farm, Mr. Ugbakayaa, lost his entire produce to the incident, leaving his family in distress, as the farm serves as their primary source of livelihood.

Residents of the area, who described the act as one of several similar attacks in recent years, appealed to security agencies and the Federal Government to intensify efforts toward protecting farmers in Gwer West and other vulnerable communities.

They lamented that agricultural activities in the region have been severely affected by recurring attacks, leading to fear, displacement, and economic hardship.

As at press time, security authorities had yet to comment on the incident.