2.1.1. Benue

Table of contents

2.1.1. Benue

Benue state is comprised of the following 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs): Ado, Agatu, Apa, Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Gwer East, Gwer West, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Kwande, Logo, Makurdi, Obi, Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Oju, Okpokwu, Otukpo, Tarka, Ukum, Ushongo and Vandeikya. The state’s capital is Makurdi. 281

The main ethnic groups are Tiv, Idoma, Igede, Etulo, Abakpa, Jukun, Hausa, Akweya and Nyifon.282

UNFPA and the US Census Bureau projected the population at 6 141 284 in 2022, based on figures from the 2006 census.283

a) Conflict dynamics and main actors

For a general overview on actors in Nigeria, please see section 1.1 Main Actors.

Benue was frequently affected by intercommunal clashes, primarily fuelled by disputes between nomadic herders and predominantly settled farming communities regarding access to and control of natural resources, including land and water.284 Attacks primarily affected farmers.285 In a May 2025 report, Amnesty International mentioned that all 23 LGAs of Benue state had experienced attacks by gunmen and bandits, with Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Gwer West, Gwer East, Apa and Agatu LGAs facing attacks more frequently.286 In March 2025, SBM Intelligence mentioned protests against attacks by alleged Fulani herdsmen. Benue state remained the ‘epicentre’ of protests. According to SBM ‘reports suggest some peaceful Fulani communities face increasing hostility, regardless of their involvement in violence.’287

Regular killings by (alleged) herders were reported over the reference period in 2024 (for example in March,288 July,289 October,290 and December291) and 2025 (for example in February,292 April,293 May,294 June295 and July296). Besides attacks by Fulani militias297 and unspecified armed men,298 other types of violence included clashes between rival militias 299 and abductions.300 According to a report by Nextier, 97 kidnap victims were recorded in 2024.301

Clashes between cult groups were also reported.302 According to a July 2025 SBM Intelligence report, Benue state recorded 81 gang-related deaths, with gang activities ‘often intersecting with farmer-herder clashes.’303 The gang environment of the state was marked by longstanding rivalries among groups like the Eiye, Vikings, and Buccaneers, as well as the presence of localised factions such as the Red Axe and Chain. The Red Axe, an offshoot of the Supreme Eiye confraternity, operated exclusively within Benue.304

b) Security incidents and impact on the population

In the period between 1 January 2024 and 31 August 2025, ACLED recorded 406 security incidents in Benue state, which resulted in 1 338 fatalities. Of these security incidents, 106 were coded as battles, 18 as riots and 271 as incidents of violence against civilians.305

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Figure 5: Evolution of security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence, riots, and violence against civilians in Benue state, 1 January 2024 – 31 August 2025, based on ACLED data.306

Security incidents were recorded by ACLED in 22 LGAs of the state, with the highest numbers documented in Makurdi (62 incidents), Agatu (48 incidents), Otukpo (41 incidents), Ukum (39 incidents) and Qwer West LGAs (37). No incidents were recorded in one LGA (Obi). According to ACLED, Fulani ethnic militia and unidentified armed groups (coded as either ‘Actor1’ or ‘Actor2’) were involved in the majority of incidents coded as violence against civilians.307

According to Nigeria Watch’s annual report covering 2024, the highest number of deaths from violence involving farmers and herders countrywide was recorded in Benue State (376), with Agatu (99), Kwande (76), Logo (60), Gwer West (46) and Apa (32) LGAs being the most affected.308

According to Nigeria Watch, regarding fatalities, Benue was the second most affected state by ethno-communal violence in 2024,309 with deadly incidents reported in Ado LGA in December 2024310 and April 2025.311

In February 2025, eight people were killed in alleged clashes between the Black Axe and Vikings cult groups in Benue’s capital Makurdi.312 In April 2025, an attack by alleged members of the Effium community against members of the Ezza community resulted in the killing of two persons and the disappearance of several others.313 In April 2025, suspected herders killed 11 persons in Afia community in Ukum LGA,314 and in May 2025 suspected herders killed 42 people in four communities in Gwer West LGA.315 In June 2025, up to over 200 people were killed in attacks by gunmen in Yelewata, in Guma LGA.316

Conflict-related infrastructure damage - In May 2025, Amnesty International reported that gunmen not only killed individuals but also destroyed boreholes, clinics, and schools following attacks. Amnesty International documented that, during attacks on communities in Ukum and Logo LGAs, grain reserves and religious sites were destroyed.317 Reportedly armed groups occupied farmland and obstructed agricultural activities.318

Road security - Kidnappings were reported along various roads in the reference period.319

Displacement, movement and return - As of February 2025, IOM estimated the number of IDPs in Benue state at 457 666320 compared to 401 403 as of November 2024.321 IOM lists communal clashes (45 %), farmer-herder clash (36 %) and insurgency (18 %) as the main reasons for displacement in the state.322 IDMC recorded 43 000 displacements triggered by communal conflicts in Benue in 2024.323 According to a July 2025 article by Amnesty International, attacks by gunmen had displaced at least 500 000 people.324

No information could be found on returns in Benue state during the reference period.

c) State response in maintaining law and order

Media reported on Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), launched in May 2018,325 with activities in Benue state, including the rescue of kidnapped victims,326 operations against bandit hideouts327 and the arrest of suspects.328 In June 2025, new combat and mobility equipment was deployed to troops of OPWS329 following the killing of civilians in Yelewata on 14 June 2025 (see above), with sources alleging state failure regarding the protection of citizens.330 Also, the Nigeria Police Force, military, and intelligence services were criticised for their continued inability ‘to safeguard vulnerable communities and deter armed non-state actors’ following the attacks.331 An April 2025 article by France 24 on killings in Benue state noted that critics alleged ‘a failure by authorities and police to govern the countryside.’332 Reportedly, despite various efforts, state-level initiatives such as the anti-open grazing law, community dialogues and compensation programmes had not proven effective, while military operations often triggered reprisals by bandits and armed groups.333

  • 281

    Nigeria, Federal Government of Nigeria, States, Benue, n.d., url

  • 282

    Nigeria, Federal Government of Nigeria, States, Benue, n.d., url

  • 283

    UNFPA and US Census Bureau, Nigeria – Subnational Population Statistics, 2022, modified 11 September 2024, url

  • 284

    HRW, Nigeria: Prioritize Security Amid Rising Violence in Benue State, 18 June 2025, url

  • 285

    GCR2P, Atrocity Alert No. 444: Nigeria, Haiti and South Sudan, 18 June 2025, url

  • 286

    Amnesty International, Nigeria: Mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups, 29 May 2025, url

  • 287

    SBM Intelligence, A threat to national stability, 27 March 2025, url, pp. 18-19

  • 288

    Vanguard, Over 15 killed, residents flee as herders attack Benue communities, 22 March 2024, url

  • 289

    Daily Post, Herdsmen invade Benue community, kill 13, 10 July 2024, url

  • 290

    Blueprint, Gunmen kill over 15 in Benue community, 31 October 2024, url

  • 291

    Punch, Suspected herders kill 11 in Benue on Christmas Day, 27 December 2024, url

  • 292

    Punch, Suspected herders kill 19 in fresh Benue attack, 18 February 2025, url

  • 293

    Business Day, Benue killings death toll hits 70, 23 April 2025, url; Reuters, Death toll in Nigeria attacks by herders rises to 56, 19 April 2025, url

  • 294

    Guardian (The), Forty-two people killed in central Nigeria in attacks blamed on herders, 27 May 2025, url

  • 295

    Blueprint, Senate declares Yelewata, Mangu massacre, act of terrorism, tables demand, 26 June 2025, url; Reuters, Charred bodies, shattered lives after gunmen kill 100 in Nigeria, 17 June 2025, url; Daily Post, Yelewata: List of 127 persons killed in Benue community, 16 June 2025, url

  • 296

    Punch, Armed herders kill four security men on patrol in Benue, 10 July 2025, url

  • 297

    Truth Nigeria, Benue Officials Charge Ethnic Militias With Returning to Threaten Farmers, 31 December 2024, url

  • 298

    Daily Trust, 7 killed in fresh Benue attacks, 7 May 2025, url; Daily Trust, 7 killed, 3 abducted in fresh Benue attack, 25 April 2025, url; France 24, Gunmen kill at least 56 people in central Nigeria, 20 April 2025, url

  • 299

    Vanguard, 9 killed in Benue rival militia gang war, 19 January 2024, url

  • 300

    Daily Trust, Gunmen abduct 10 passengers in Benue, 2 June 2025, url; THISDAY, Catholic Priest Shot, Others Abducted by Suspected Herdsmen in Benue, 26 May 2025, url; Daily Trust, 7 killed, 3 abducted in fresh Benue attack, 25 April 2025, url; Vanguard, Again, armed herders kidnap 19 commuters in Benue, 24 April 2025, url; Vanguard, Anxiety in Benue as criminal gang of late militia kingpin, Gana embark on killings, kidnapping, 7 September 2024, url

  • 301

    Nextier, Mutations of Terror and Conflicts. 2025 Security and Conflict Outlook in Nigeria, February 2025, url, p. 31

  • 302

    Vanguard, 10 killed in Makurdi rival cult clash 28 April 2025, url; Daily Post, 8 dead as rival cults clashed in Benue, 9 February 2025, url; Daily Trust, Police quell cult clash in Benue, 19 September 2024, url

  • 303

    SBM Intelligence, Gangster’s Paradise: Nigeria’s Restive Youth Gang Crisis, 2020-2025, July 2025, url, p. 10

  • 304

    SBM Intelligence, Gangster’s Paradise: Nigeria’s Restive Youth Gang Crisis, 2020-2025, July 2025, url, p. 16

  • 305

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Africa, data covering 1 January 2024 to 31 August 2025, as of 10 September 2025, url

  • 306

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Africa, data covering 1 January 2024 to 31 August 2025, as of 10 September 2025, url

  • 307

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Africa, data covering 1 January 2024 to 31 August 2025, as of 10 September 2025, url

  • 308

    Nigeria Watch, Fourteenth report on violence in Nigeria 2024, 2025, url, p. 11

  • 309

    Nigeria Watch, Fourteenth Report on Violence (2024), n.d., url, p. 15

  • 310

    Vanguard, Sen Moro condemns Ezza/Effium crisis spillover to Benue, 19 December 2024, url

  • 311

    Daily Post, Ezza indigenes killed, others missing in fresh attack on Benue community, 19 April 2025, url

  • 312

    Daily Post, 8 dead as rival cults clashed in Benue, 9 February 2025, url

  • 313

    Daily Post, Ezza indigenes killed, others missing in fresh attack on Benue community, 19 April 2025, url

  • 314

    Daily Post, Again, suspected herdsmen kill 11 in Benue community, 22 April 2025, url

  • 315

    Guardian (The), Forty-two people killed in central Nigeria in attacks blamed on herders, 27 May 2025, url

  • 316

    Blueprint, Senate declares Yelewata, Mangu massacre, act of terrorism, tables demand, 26 June 2025, url; Reuters, Charred bodies, shattered lives after gunmen kill 100 in Nigeria, 17 June 2025, url; Daily Post, Yelewata: List of 127 persons killed in Benue community, 16 June 2025, url

  • 317

    Amnesty International, Nigeria: Mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups, 29 May 2025, url

  • 318

    GCR2P, Atrocity Alert No. 444: Nigeria, Haiti and South Sudan, 18 June 2025, url

  • 319

    Daily Trust, Gunmen abduct 12 Benue Links passengers, 24 June 2025, url; Vanguard, 12 travellers abducted by gunmen in Benue, one rescued as search intensifies, 23 June 2025, url; Daily Trust, Gunmen abduct 10 passengers in Benue, 2 June 2025, url; Vanguard, Again, armed herders kidnap 19 commuters in Benue, 24 April 2025, url

  • 320

    As of 1 August 2025, UNHCR mentions the same IDP numbers. UNHCR, Nigeria – Forcibly Displaced Populations, 1 August 2025, url

  • 321

    IOM, Nigeria — North-Central and North-West — Round 16 IDP Atlas (February 2025), 18 March 2025, url, p. 6

  • 322

    IOM, Nigeria — North-Central and North-West — Round 16 IDP Atlas (February 2025), 18 March 2025, url, p. 10

  • 323

    IDMC, GRID 2025; Global Report on Internal Displacement, 2025, url, p. 32

  • 324

    Amnesty International, Nigeria: Violence and widespread displacement leave Benue facing a humanitarian disaster, 10 July 2025, url

  • 325

    Channels TV, Military Launches Operation ‘Whirl Stroke’ In Benue, 18 May 2028, url

  • 326

    Punch, Two police officers, nine others rescued from Benue kidnappers, 5 August 2025, url; Punch, Troops rescue 12 kidnapped victims, 23 February 2024, url

  • 327

    Daily Post, Army storms bandits’ hideouts in Benue, destroys Konyo Mbise’s camp, 19 May 2025, url

  • 328

    Daily Post, Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke arrest two armed men in Benue, 4 July 2025, url

  • 329

    Daily Post, Military reinforces troops in North Central with new combat vehicles, motorcycles, 20 June 2025, url

  • 330

    HRW, Nigeria: Prioritize Security Amid Rising Violence in Benue State, 18 June 2025, url; Ojewale, O. and Onuoha, F., Nigeria’s North Central violence reveals systemic state failure, ISS , 26 June 2025,url; Cleen Foundation, Condemning the Renewed Killings in Benue State and Calling for Immediate Government Action, 18 June 2025, url

  • 331

    Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative , Escalating Insecurity In Benue State: A National Call To Action, 17 June 2025, url, p. 1

  • 332

    France 24, Gunmen kill at least 56 people in central Nigeria, 20 April 2025, url

  • 333

    OWP, Benue State’s Farmer-Herder Conflict, A Major Threat To Stability, 30 July 2024, url