A major rice plantation in Gwer West LGA of Benue State has been destroyed after a fire outbreak on Sunday.
According to locals, the armed herdsmen were behind the incident, which has left the farming community in shock.
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The affected farm, owned by Mr. Ugbakayaa and located around Tse Orbiam along the Naka–Makurdi highway, went up in flames, wiping out several hectares of crops. Both rice still standing on the field and those already harvested and collected for processing were burnt in the blaze.
Speaking about the incident, eyewitness Mr. Ado Bartholomew said the fire spread too quickly for anyone to save the produce.
“In a blink, the entire field caught fire. Everything stored for threshing was lost,” he lamented, describing the destruction as a serious blow to the family who relies heavily on the farm for survival.
Agro Nigeria reports that residents who visited the scene expressed anger and concern over the continuous attacks on farmers in the council area.
They noted that worsening insecurity has paralyzed farming activities in many parts of Benue, which is widely regarded as Nigeria’s food basket.
Community members are calling on the government and security agencies to urgently intensify protection for farmers in Gwer West and others at risk communities frequently targeted by armed men.
Security officials had not issued a public statement regarding the incident at the time this report was compiled.
