“We Warned Them, They Ignored Us” — Benue Community Reduced to Ghost Town After Deadly Herdsmen Attack Kills Over 40, Including Clergy
By Passman Akpos
MBATSAIDA, BENUE STATE — A once-thriving farming community in Benue State has been reduced to silence, fear, and ruins after a series of brutal attacks by suspected armed herdsmen left more than 40 residents dead, including two Reverend Fathers, and forced survivors to flee their ancestral homes.
When reporters visited Mbatsaida community, the reality on ground was chilling: deserted homes, abandoned farmlands, and the haunting stillness of a town emptied by violence. What was once a bustling agrarian settlement now stands as a ghost town.
Displaced residents have sought refuge in nearby Agena community, where they now face harsh living conditions, struggling daily without food, shelter, or security.
The village head, Chief Gbakaa Lorpine, did not mince words as he recounted years of bloodshed and what he described as government neglect.“We reported to the government. They did nothing,” he said, his voice heavy with frustration.
According to him, the attacks date back to March 24, 2014, when armed herdsmen stormed the community at dawn, killing 15 people and injuring many others.
“This did not happen because we offended them,” he insisted. “They were grazing on our lands, destroying our farms. We reported to the police, to security advisers, to everyone—but no action was taken.”
The violence escalated on May 6, 2018, in what residents describe as one of the darkest days in the community’s history. Eighteen people were killed in Mbatsaida, including two Reverend Fathers. On the same day, another 18 people were reportedly slaughtered in Baikal, within the same district.
Despite frantic calls for help during the attacks, Chief Lorpine said authorities failed to respond.“We contacted security personnel while the attacks were ongoing. Nothing was done,” he said.
Years later, history repeated itself.
On April 4 this year, gunmen again invaded the community in the early evening, killing 11 people and injuring several others. The attackers reportedly entered through the marketplace, shooting indiscriminately.
Caught in the chaos, the village head himself narrowly escaped death.
“I ran into the bush wearing only my underwear,” he recalled. “I couldn’t go back for anything.”Now displaced, residents say they have lost everything — their homes, livelihoods, and sense of safety. Farming, the backbone of the community, has come to a complete halt.
“We have nothing to eat. Our farmlands are gone. People are too afraid to return because there is no security,” Lorpine said.
While some humanitarian support has trickled in, the community insists that aid alone is not enough. What they urgently need, they say, is protection.
The village head revealed he had repeatedly reached out to government officials, even providing intelligence on routes allegedly used by the attackers.
“There is a corridor between Omi, Aze Duku, and Agana. If the government can establish a permanent security post there, it would help stop these attacks,” he urged.
He also lamented the destruction of the community’s only water source, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
“Our water has been destroyed. We need help. But more than anything, we need security so we can go back home.”
As the people of Mbatsaida remain displaced and traumatised, their story raises urgent questions about security, accountability, and the government’s response to recurring violence in Nigeria’s rural communities.
