Renewed violence, driven by a militia led by a figure named “Heavy” (Oraernyi) and armed herders, is escalating in the Mbajir community of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State.
The crisis intensified recently when armed men allegedly burned and destroyed extensive farmlands (yam and cassava plots) in Tse Akoso, causing fearful villagers to abandon their homes.
Local sources claim the militia leader, “Heavy,” is actively collaborating with the armed herders during attacks on settlements like Tse Akoso and Danzulu, making it appear as though the herders are solely responsible. The source specifically named two herders, Bado and Musa, who are reportedly being protected and moved by the militia, now operating near the Ukum boundary.
A major concern is the presence of a prominent local figure who is allegedly escalating the unrest by threatening death to anyone who exposes the activities of the herders and their local collaborators.
The community is urgently appealing to traditional rulers and the Benue State government to intervene, demanding the immediate evacuation of the armed herders to prevent further displacement and bloodshed before all villagers are driven from their ancestral homes. It seems local authorities, like the Police Public Relations Officer, were unavailable for comment.
Bottom line: It’s a bad mix of militia muscle, armed herders, burning farms, and death threats—a truly awful recipe for communal displacement.
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