For Pastor Manasseh Gimba Knudowan, Farming Finances His Ministry
By Mike Odeh James
(Kuzhipi, Nasarawa State) Grey but fit, Pastor Manasseh Gimba Knudowan set out for his farm in Kuzhipi—a remote village in New Nyanya, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
It was supposed to be a routine day on the third Saturday of April at the 18.7-hectare plantation he had nurtured for over two decades.
The land, lined with more than 2,000 flourishing palm trees, represents more than just agriculture—it’s the lifeblood of his family, ministry, and community. Knudowan, a respected cleric of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), had used the proceeds from his large farm for years to support his congregation’s music ministry.
But that day nearly ended in tragedy.
A Violent Encounter
As Knudowan approached the heart of his plantation, he discovered a Fulani herdsman cutting branches from one of his palm trees to feed cattle. The Fulani tribe is chiefly Muslim and frequently mentioned as a key community linked to Nigeria’s tragic internal civil war.
When the clergyman confronted the Fulani man, the man said he was a herder who came from another region.
Knudowan offered to refer the Fulani man to the local Fulani settlement nearby. However, the man refused, and a heated argument ensued. The conversation quickly turned violent.
“He raised a machete and came at me, aiming for my neck,” Knudowan recounted, lifting his heavily bandaged arms. “I raised my hands to block the blow. That’s how I got these deep cuts. It was clear—they wanted to kill me.”
The attacker fled toward a nearby Fulani encampment.
Despite receiving medical treatment and reporting the attack to the Divisional Police Officer—who documented his wounds—no arrests have been made. Knudowan also notified the Etsu of Karu, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other authorities.
Weeks later, there has been no investigation. No justice. And the threats continue. Residents say this is part of a broader trend of impunity that fuels the conflict, leaving victims like Knudowan vulnerable and afraid.
A 24-Year Siege
This wasn’t the first time Knudowan has faced aggression on his farm. According to him, Fulani herders—especially families led by Alhaji Risku, Alhaji Sani, Bodere, and their leader known as The Wakili—have illegally grazed cattle on his land for 24 years.
“These people and their children have made it their mission to destroy everything I’ve built,” he said. “They cut down my trees, let their cattle graze on my crops, and threaten me whenever I protest. Sometimes they beg for forgiveness but return the next day. There is no peace.”
Herders have grazed cattle even at night, often under the cover of darkness. Beyond trampling crops, they have reportedly looted the produce—bananas, coconuts, maize, mangoes, pawpaw, and medicinal moringa—with women allegedly seen harvesting them unlawfully.
The loss is not just economic; it is emotional and psychological. “I’ve watched years of labor disappear in days,” Knudowan said, his voice heavy with pain.
Despite repeated complaints to the police, village chiefs, the Ardo of Lackma (a Fulani community leader), and the DSS, no preventive action has been taken.
“The DSS knows. The police know. The village chiefs know. Yet no one has acted,” Knudowan said. “It’s as if they want me to give up my land. But I won’t.”
His resilience has become a source of inspiration for others in Kuzhipi, even as fear persists.
Police Force, Fulani Leader, Refused to Talk
In a bid to get the version of the Nigerian Police, TruthNigeria correspondent called the Police Public Relations Officer in Karu Division in Nasarawa State, the officer refused to pick up his call
Similarly, the Ardo of Kuhzipi, Alhaji Idris Ardo also have refused to answer calls and text messages sent to his phone
For Knudowan, farming is not just livelihood—it’s ministry.
“I sponsor my music evangelism from this farm,” he said. “I support widows and orphans, pay workers’ wages, and sustain my family. This land is my life’s work—a living altar of provision.”
Now, that work is under siege—not just from machete-wielding herdsmen, but from the deafening silence of state institutions.
“I’ve always believed that no one’s blood should be shed over land. But now, they’ve demanded mine,” he said. “If the authorities don’t act, what message are they sending to peaceful citizens like me?”
Knudowan now moves with extreme caution. He no longer visits the farm alone, and each trip is shadowed by uncertainty and anxiety.
A Marked Man
Residents of Kuzhipi and New Nyanya say the attack on Knudowan is part of a broader pattern.
“The Fulani terrorists are after him because he’s a Christian, a community mobilizer, and owns vast farmland,” said Akwanga Aboki, a community leader and head of Kuzhipi’s 30-man vigilante group. “If they can kill or incapacitate him, they will control the land—and by extension, dominate the entire Kuzhipi community.”
A Community Under Siege
Knudowan’s ordeal reflects a broader crisis in Kuzhipi and surrounding settlements.
Home to about 5,000 people, Kuzhipi lies within Nigeria’s embattled Middle Belt region. Its residents, predominantly of the Gbagyi ethnic group, rely almost entirely on farming. Their primary crops—yams, cassava, rice, bananas, coconuts, and palm trees—are increasingly threatened by Fulani invasions.
“The people of Kuzhipi are all Christians. We are either from ECWA, COCIN, or Living Faith,” Aboki told TruthNigeria. “The Fulanis you see here today are settlers. They are not indigenes of this settlement—fewer than 500—but they are causing massive destruction.”
“These herders are terrorizing us,” said another vigilante officer, who requested anonymity. “They’re armed and emboldened because they know no one will stop them. We’re overwhelmed.”
Community members say they now live in fear of reprisal attacks. Some farmers no longer harvest in broad daylight to avoid being seen. Others avoid their fields altogether.
Silence of the State
Despite numerous complaints, residents say security agencies and traditional rulers have refused to act.
“We’ve informed the DSS, the police, and local chiefs,” said Knudowan. “We know the culprits. They walk freely, without fear of arrest or reprimand.”
The question remains: Will the Nigerian government and its security institutions protect citizens like Knudowan—or will the silence continue, as communities are slowly erased under the weight of unchecked violence?
Mike Odeh James is a conflict reporter. He writes for TruthNigeria.
