From Crisis to Crisis

From Agatu to Gwer West, Logo to Buruku, all the way to Guma and Makurdi Local Government Areas (LGAs), it has been a story of sorrow and suffering. The suspected Fulani militia has wreaked havoc on these farming communities of Benue State. The conflict is rooted in longstanding tensions over land use, resources, and persistent clashes between farmers and herders. The nomadic herders, primarily from the Fulani ethnic group, often move their livestock in search of grazing pastures, inadvertently bringing them into direct contact with settled farming communities like Agatu.

According to the Nextier Violent Conflict Database, Logo, Ukum, Gwer West, Agatu, Guma, Buruku and Katsina-Ala, LGAs have been ravaged by armed conflict. Specifically, attacks in Agatu in January 2024 reveal the imminent threat and continuation of the conflict that has followed the infamous Agatu Massacre that claimed about 500 lives in 2016. The impassable Otukpo-Oweto road was the only significant obstacle to the Agatu people for many centuries, making transporting their agricultural products to the market difficult. Over the years, the people who lived in the once-thriving community have been concerned with their means of subsistence and survival. The inhabitants grapple with a protracted crisis marked by a series of deliberate attacks from nomadic herders. These assaults, not limited to Agatu but extending throughout Benue state, have recurred since 2013, gradually escalating into a cycle of retaliation and escalating violence. In 2024, the LGA recorded a resurgence of recurrent attacks, with the attack on January 27, 2024, resulting in 8 deaths. This incident followed the ambush and murder of five people on January 18, 2024, with another incident claiming two lives.

The persistent attacks have resulted in a significant loss of life, displacement of residents, and destruction of property. Local communities in Agatu, like other communities ravaged by the violent conflict, have faced immense challenges in coping with the humanitarian fallout, including food shortages, clean water, and healthcare. According to the United Nations, Benue State is home to 2.1 million internally displaced people (IDP), the bulk of whom reside in camps located inside host communities like Abagana and Daudu. Makeshift camps such as “Tse Yandev” in the North Bank area of Makurdi cater to the brimming humanitarian crisis. However, the IDP camp is riddled with a plethora of problems, such as insufficient food and disease, with the only access to healthcare coming from a privately-run community clinic. The conflict has also severely impacted the local economy, particularly agriculture, which is a primary source of livelihood for the people. The destruction of farmlands and displacement of farmers has led to food shortages and economic hardship, exacerbating the already challenging living conditions in the region.

The Nigerian government has faced criticism for handling the crisis at the state and federal levels. The infamous Agatu massacres that began in late February 2016 and continued for several days into March pointed to the lacklustre response that has often trailed violent conflict tragedies. Calls for increased security measures, including deploying security forces to protect vulnerable communities, have been met with varying degrees of success, with none sufficient to bring a decisive solution. Additionally, efforts to mediate between conflicting parties and find a sustainable resolution to the crisis have faced obstacles.

The persistent attacks in the Agatu area of Benue State represent a complex and deeply rooted conflict with severe humanitarian consequences. Resolving the crisis first requires effective security measures. The identification of Agatu as a hotspot for farmer-herder conflicts requires increased policing with the employment of early warning systems to detect attacks before they occur. It is also imperative that perpetrators apprehended are promptly brought to justice and held accountable for their actions.

Community engagement and sustainable solutions are needed to address the conflict’s underlying causes. While efforts at curbing the violent conflict are in motion, there is a need for humanitarian organisations and relevant organisations to focus on the challenges that displaced people face in camps pending their return back to their communities. As the situation continues to evolve, it is crucial for stakeholders, including the government, local communities, and international partners, to work collaboratively towards achieving lasting peace and stability in Benue State.