Anger as farmers in Benue lose N25bn to herdsmen attacks

macfranc007 September 25, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Buchi Obichie

- Farmers in Benue have lost N25bn from herdsmen attacks in the last nine months

- The loss covers crops, farmlands and other property belonging to farmers

- Many of the farmers have also been confronted with ravaging floods, while still trying to forget the devastating effect of the herdsmen attacks

The chairman of the Benue State All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Aondoana Hembe, has disclosed that within the last nine months, farmer in the state have lost about N25bn to herdsmen attacks.

He made the disclosure during a chat with Punch on Tuesday, September 25.

NAIJ.com gathers that Hembe said the loss covered crops, farmlands and other property belonging to farmers.

He also stated that some of the affected farmers could not access their farmlands and were still displaced.

He said: “Some local government areas of the state were seriously affected by the herdsmen attacks on Benue. Many of our members lost their lives, some lost property like houses, farmlands and other valuables.

“In Naka, headquarters of Gwer West local government alone, our members lost over N2bn naira of properties and farm produce, so also were heavy attacks on Guma, Logo, Ukum, where no less than N25bn of farm produce, farmlands and property belonging to our members across the state were lost to the herdsmen attacks this year alone.

“As I talk to you now, some of our members are still living in the IDP camps located across the state, some could not access their lands, it is a terrible situation.”

He also lamented over the fact that many of the farmers had been confronted with ravaging floods which he said had washed away the farms, while they were still trying to forget the devastating effect of the herdsmen attacks.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) disclosed that over 20,000 primary school children have been forced out of school in Benue state since the start of 2018, due to the incursion of armed militant herdsmen in several communities.

Chairman of the board, Rev Phillip Tachin, made the disclosure after leading members of the board’s management team on an inspection of primary school projects constructed under the Benue state government and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) intervention fund.

Benue elders speak on herdsmen attacks - on NAIJ.com TV: