A large rice farm in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State has been razed by suspected herdsmen, destroying crops valued at several millions of naira.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at Tse Orbiam, along the Naka–Makurdi road.
The farm, owned by Mr. Ugbakayaa, was said to have been engulfed by flames that spread rapidly across several hectares of cultivated land.
Eyewitnesses told reporters that both standing crops and already harvested rice packed for threshing were completely burnt.
“The whole farm went up in flames within minutes.
All the rice that had been harvested and packed for threshing was destroyed,” said an eyewitness, Mr. Ado Bartholomew, describing the attack as a devastating blow to the farmer and his family.
The Ugbakayaa family, whose main source of livelihood depended on the farm, was said to be in shock over the destruction.
Residents and sympathizers who visited the scene condemned the persistent attacks on farmers in the area, lamenting that insecurity had crippled farming activities across many communities in the state.
They urged the Federal and state governments to intensify efforts to protect farmers in Gwer West and other parts of Benue facing frequent incursions by armed herdsmen.
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As of press time, security authorities had yet to comment on the incident.
