Stranded by Massacres: Residents of 22 Communities Say They’re Starving in Place
By Ekani Olikita
(Makurdi), Nigeria- Residents of abandoned Christian farming communities in Nigeria’s Central Benue State are appealing to international bodies for help to end years of deadly attacks.
They are calling on the Nigerian and U.S. governments and the United Nations to help make it possible for them to safely return to their ancestral homes.
The residents say at least 22 communities across Agatu and Logo counties remain deserted after years of repeated attacks attributed by residents and local officials to armed Islamic Fulani Ethnic Militia (IFEM).
The accounts come amid continuing U.S. concern over religiously motivated violence and displacement in Nigeria. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported in May 2026 that violence involving Fulani militants has contributed to mass displacement across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, while noting that the conflict also involves overlapping ethnic, economic, environmental and security factors
In Agatu County, residents of the affected communities are saying their villages were seized by hundreds of armed Fulani militia who came from the North through neighboring Nasarawa States’ borders and are not yet safe to reoccupy.
‘We Sleep Outside With Our Children’
For residents who have remained behind, the crisis is not an abstract security statistic but a daily struggle for survival.
Elijah Matthew, a resident of Ogumongbo, told TruthNigeria that repeated attacks had destroyed homes, churches, schools, markets and other community infrastructure.
“We had homes, farms and a future here. Today, many of us have nothing left. Our houses were destroyed, our farms were ruined and our families were scattered. We are asking only for the chance to live safely on our own land again.”
Matthew said many displaced residents have no reliable means of livelihood and are struggling to feed their families.
“We have no weapons to defend ourselves against people carrying assault rifles. We are Christian farmers and have no common boundary with Fulani terrorists. We want peace, security and the opportunity to return home and rebuild our lives.”
Agnes Amos, another resident of Ogumongbo, described an even more desperate situation.
“We have no houses to lay our heads and no school for our children. Our children are growing up without education. We sleep outside with them, wondering what tomorrow will bring.”
She said she survives by collecting and selling firewood and extracting local tree products from the surrounding bush.
Dispute Over Whether Communities Have Been Reclaimed
The residents’ accounts contradict claims by Agatu County Chairman, Melvin James Ejeh that communities previously controlled by armed fulani militia have been liberated and residents are returning
Ejeh told TruthNigeria that when he assumed office, more than 15 communities were under the control of armed groups but that military operations had driven the attackers away.
“When I emerged as the executive Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, I met more than 15 communities mostly in Agatu West under Fulani terrorists’ captivity. With the efforts of the men of the Military Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, the terrorists have been sent away, and residents are now returning back home.”
But Epoh Moses, a resident of Ikpele, disputed the claim.
“If our communities have truly been reclaimed, where are our people? More than 5,000 people once lived in my community. Today, fewer than 10 people remain, living in less than four structures. We have not returned because we do not feel safe.”
Logo Residents Say Security Presence Has Not Ended Attacks
In Logo County, Manasseh Umishi, Secretary-General of the Tombo Security Council in an interview with TruthNigeria said, the deployment of Nigerian troops has not stopped attacks.
“The Fulani militia are coming from the Northwest and neighboring countries through Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State and Awe in Nasarawa State and are hellbent to take over our ancestral land. Our soldiers are trying but are overwhelmed by a higher number of the terrorists with more sophisticated arms and are still killing our people. We need urgent international support to stop the bloodshed and make it possible for displaced families to return home.”
The Tombo Development Association has similarly expressed concern about continuing attacks and the displacement of residents, saying the violence has lasted for more than a decade
Logo County Chairman Clement Kav in an interview with TruthNigeria, confirmed that attacks remain a serious concern around Ayilamo and surrounding communities.
“Despite the deployment of several security personnel, many neighboring communities had been deserted, with residents relocating to Ayilamo because they considered it relatively safer”, Clement told TruthNigeria.
Safe Return Requires More Than Military Operations, according to Security Analyst: Awo Adanu, Chief Superintendent of Police (rtd), a counterterrorism expert.
“The central security challenge is not simply driving armed groups away from a village for a short period. A sustainable return requires permanent security coverage, functioning roads, rapid-response capacity, justice for victims and reconstruction of destroyed homes and public facilities. Without those guarantees, displaced families are unlikely to risk returning, and abandoned farmland can become a long-term source of instability”, Adanu told TruthNigeria.
Ekani Olikita is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
