I am from Benue State, and my early years, from childhood to University, were spent in the state. I understand the nature of this crisis not as an observer, but as an indigene. My roots are in this land. The dream that became ThriveAgric, a company now serving over one million farmers across Nigeria and Africa, was born on the soil of Benue. Today, many young people with dreams like mine struggle to see theirs through. Their lives have been disrupted, their families displaced, and their futures made uncertain, not just by one factor, but by the weight of a complex crisis that has dragged on for decades.

Once known as Nigeria’s “Food Basket,” Benue State is now caught in a struggle not only over land and livelihoods but also over food, survival, and dignity. The recent violence in Yelewata community in Guma LGA underscores the human toll of this ongoing crisis. Reports suggest over 100 lives were lost, with some sources placing the number closer to 200. Thousands have been displaced, and farmlands, the backbone of the region’s economy, have been left in ruins.

This is not an isolated event; it is part of a prolonged and complex crisis that has turned fertile land into mass graves and resulted in widespread displacement. According to the United Nations, over 2.1 million people have been displaced in Benue State alone. To grasp the scale of this, imagine the entire population of a major city like Paris being forced to flee, leaving behind homes, heritage, and harvests.

A Timeline of Violence: Understanding the Herdsmen-Farmer Crisis in Benue

I spent a significant part of my childhood in Benue State. Back then, it was common to see herders moving their cattle along major roads. While this occasionally caused traffic, it was generally accepted as part of life in a region where agriculture and pastoralism coexisted. Over time, however, what had once been manageable tension gradually evolved into a far more troubling and violent reality, particularly in the hinterlands and rural border communities.

The gruesome crisis between nomadic pastoralists and settled farming communities is deeply rooted and multifaceted. On one hand, pastoralists have historically migrated across regions in search of pasture and water. On the other hand, farmers rely heavily on fixed land for cultivation. As climate change, land scarcity, and population growth intensified, so did competition over land and resources.

Since 2011, these tensions have increasingly escalated into an open crisis. Pastoralist communities have reported theft of cattle and attacks on their camps, while farming communities have experienced the destruction of farmlands, community raids, loss of lives, and widespread displacement. These incidents have triggered cycles of reprisal and deepened mistrust on both sides.

By 2013–2014, reports of armed confrontations became more frequent and deadly. What had previously been sporadic clashes began to resemble more sustained violence. In 2018, the crisis drew national attention following the tragic New Year’s Day attacks in Logo and Guma LGAs, which left nearly 100 people dead and prompted an increase in government response, though many viewed it as still inadequate.

According to the book The Root Cause of Farmer-Herder Crisis by Olowu Olagunju, over 60,000 lives have been lost in farmer-herder crises across Nigeria since 2001, with Benue accounting for the highest number of casualties. Over 2.1 million people have been displaced in the state alone. The recent violence in Yelewata serves as another painful reminder that the crisis is ongoing and that lasting solutions remain urgent and necessary.

Benue State is one of Nigeria's top three agriculturally productive regions, contributing significantly to the country’s supply of tomatoes, rice, maize, yams, soybeans, cassava, and fruits. However, when communities are affected by a crisis, regardless of the source, the consequences extend far beyond the immediate region. Many farmers are forced to abandon their fields, leaving fertile land uncultivated. Insecurity disrupts planting and harvesting cycles, leading to reduced yields and labour shortages. With rural roads and markets becoming harder to access, supply chains begin to fracture. This disruption contributes to food scarcity, driving up prices and making basic staples less affordable for millions of Nigerians. Beyond the numbers, the human cost is immense. Entire farming communities face the loss of livelihoods, land, and long-held dreams. While the crisis may be concentrated in one part of the country, its ripple effect threatens food security and stability nationwide. This isn’t just a rural issue; it poses a threat to our national food sovereignty.

You may live in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, or any other part of the country far from Benue, but the impact of this crisis is already being felt nationwide, regardless of your social or economic class. As farming communities are displaced and agricultural production declines, food supplies dwindle, and prices rise. Tomatoes, yams, rice, beans, and other staples are becoming more expensive, not only due to inflation, but because fewer are being grown, harvested, or transported safely.

Meanwhile, as rural areas become less secure, many people are forced to migrate to urban centres in search of safety and livelihood. This influx strains city infrastructure, increases unemployment, and contributes to growing inequality. When poverty and hunger deepen, social unrest and crime often follow, creating a cycle of instability that affects everyone regardless of region.

Nigeria’s economy is also at stake. Agriculture contributes approximately 25% to the nation’s GDP, and Benue plays a pivotal role in this ecosystem. When a key food-producing region becomes destabilised, it is not just a local loss; it becomes a national vulnerability.

Securing Nigeria’s food future and rural stability requires coordinated action. Strengthening security in farming areas through better-trained personnel, local intelligence, and modern tools will help restore confidence and allow displaced communities to return to their land. Enforcing existing laws, such as the 2017 Benue Open Grazing Prohibition Law, alongside inclusive policies that support sustainable grazing practices, can help ease tensions and clarify land use expectations.

Equally, investing in modern ranching systems, including infrastructure, education, and cattle tracking, benefits both herders and farmers. These steps will reduce the crisis, improve agricultural output, and stabilise food prices. By acting now, the government has the opportunity to restore peace, trust and drive long-term food security and economic growth for the entire nation. And as citizens, we all have a role to play. Start by raising awareness; share the stories, facts, and human impact of this crisis. Support trusted NGOs helping displaced families, get involved in agriculture in any way you can, whether through home gardening/livestock rearing, investing in farms, or participating in community initiatives that boost agriculture. And most importantly, stay engaged. Support leaders who prioritise rural development, food security, and lasting peace. The future of Nigeria’s food depends on all of us.

If Nigeria is to survive and thrive, we must urgently protect our food-producing regions. When farmers are unable to access their land, the consequences go far beyond rural communities; they threaten our national food supply and economy. In parts of the Northwest, there have been disturbing reports of farmers being forced to pay levies to access their farms during harvest. Although such events may not dominate national headlines, they reflect a growing trend of insecurity that, if unchecked, could spiral into a full-scale crisis much like the one we now see in Benue State.

When farmers are unable to farm, the result is food scarcity, price hikes, and empty shelves in urban markets. If you’re fortunate to earn a steady salary, you may not feel the weight of this crisis yet. But your neighbour, staff, or community member who continually begs for alms, struggling with rising costs and shrinking options, may one day be pushed to the brink. Hunger breeds desperation, and desperation, if unchecked, fuels rising crime and social unrest. We saw this unfold in parts of Lagos, Ogun, and Kano in 2024, as reported by the BBC.

We cannot let Benue, the heartland of our food systems, bleed in silence. We also cannot afford to ignore early warning signs in other regions. Every day of delay costs lives, land, and opportunities for national growth.

As someone who knows this land, who grew from it, and owes everything to it, I say this with urgency: We must act for justice, survival, food security, and peace.