WorldStage– Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the Governor of Benue State in Nigeria’s North Central region, has condemned the killing of six cashew farmers in the Apa Local Government Area of the state on Friday, March 13, 2026 by suspected armed herders, describing it as a terrorist act and an assault on humanity.
Benue State known as the food basket of the nation is rich in agricultural produce, including yams, maize, and potatoes.
Alia while reacting to the attack in an interview vowed that his administration would not abandon any community to violence.
The state government recently intensified security measures to protect farming communities following renewed attacks in local government areas such as Apa, Kwande, and Guma.
As of March 2026, the administration is shifting toward a “people-centred” security framework that combines community participation with federal military support.
The conflict between farmers and herders in Benue State is a long-standing resource-based struggle that has escalated significantly in recent years.
Primarily a contest over land and water, it pits sedentary, mostly Christian farming communities such as the Tiv, Idoma, and Igede against nomadic or semi-nomadic, predominantly Muslim Fulani herders.
Meanwhile, Benue State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the suspected armed herders that carried out the attacks in three communities of Asaba, Ojantele, and Okpette within the Ojantele Ward of Apa LGA.
The victims were reportedly ambushed while working on their plantations to harvest.
The Police recovered six lifeless bodies following the initial operation.
In addition to the fatalities, a young girl was reportedly abducted, and six other individuals remain missing.
A joint security team comprising the Nigeria Police Force, the military, and local youth volunteers has been deployed to the surrounding forests to track the assailants and rescue those missing.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed that additional reinforcements and tactical assets have been sent to the affected communities to prevent further violence.
