~A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
A new report by SB Morgen Intelligence, published in March 2025, has shed light on the devastating impact of pastoral violence in Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt region. The report, titled “A National Emergency: The Escalating Crisis of Pastoral Violence in Nigeria,” details how over 2.2 million Nigerians have been forcibly displaced in the last six years due to attacks by armed criminal herders. Of this number, more than 300,000 people have been forced into makeshift camps in Benue State alone.
This crisis, which has been ongoing for years, has not only led to massive internal displacement but has also resulted in a severe humanitarian and economic downturn. The situation has spiraled out of control despite repeated government interventions, as the herders-farmers conflict continues to fuel violence, food shortages, and widespread insecurity.
The SB Morgen report highlights the widespread destruction and mass displacement caused by these attacks. The Middle Belt region, including Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, and parts of Kaduna, has borne the brunt of this crisis. Armed herders, reportedly linked to criminal networks involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping, have targeted farming communities, killing residents, destroying homes, and setting farmland ablaze.
According to eyewitness accounts and humanitarian groups, these attacks have become increasingly coordinated and systematic. In Benue State, where anti-open grazing laws have been enforced to regulate livestock movement, the violence has escalated rather than subsided. Many communities now find themselves in constant fear, with families abandoning their homes and livelihoods to seek refuge in overcrowded camps.
“Entire communities have been displaced, with over 2.2 million people forced from their homes nationwide, and more than 300,000 crowded into makeshift camps in Benue State alone.”
The humanitarian impact of this crisis has been catastrophic. Displaced persons in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba are now living in squalid conditions in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, where food, water, and medical supplies are scarce. The overwhelmed camps are struggling to provide even basic necessities, leading to malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and severe psychological trauma among the displaced population.
A displaced farmer from Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State described the dire conditions:
“We lost everything. Our homes, our farms, our animals. We are living like refugees in our own land. The children are sick, and there is no food. We do not know if we will ever go back home.”
One of the most alarming consequences of the ongoing violence is its impact on Nigeria’s agricultural sector. The Middle Belt is considered the “food basket” of the nation, contributing significantly to the country’s food production. However, the persistent attacks on farmers have drastically reduced agricultural output, leading to inflation in food prices and worsening Nigeria’s economic struggles.
“Nigeria’s agricultural output has suffered dramatically, particularly in the Middle Belt, which produces much of the country’s food, contributing to dangerous levels of food price inflation across the country.”
Farmers who survived the attacks have either abandoned their farms or are too afraid to return. The destruction of farmland and crops has further exacerbated food insecurity, leaving millions at risk of hunger and malnutrition.
The report strongly criticizes the Nigerian government’s lack of a coordinated response to the crisis. While the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and anti-open grazing laws were introduced as solutions, their implementation has been slow, inconsistent, and largely ineffective.
The SB Morgen report notes:
“Despite government interventions like the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and anti-open grazing laws in several states, sustainable solutions remain elusive. Implementation has been patchy at best; arms continue to flow into the region.”
Many experts argue that the failure to enforce disarmament measures and poor intelligence-sharing between security agencies have allowed these violent attacks to persist. The easy access to illegal firearms by herders and criminal gangs has worsened the situation, making it nearly impossible for local law enforcement to contain the violence.
The human toll of these attacks is staggering. A resident of Jato-Aka, a community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, recounted the horrifying reality of living under siege.
“Fulani herdsmen have killed innocent members of my family in Jato-Aka and have left everyone homeless as we speak,” the resident said in an interview with Hobnob News Nigeria.
According to him, the community faced four consecutive days of attacks, during which at least 20 people were killed, and dozens of homes and farms were destroyed.
“They attacked again yesterday. It was an evening attack. They killed one person and burned down several houses and farm produce. Most of the houses in the community are thatch houses. The armed Fulani herders burned almost all of them down.”
He added that even children were not spared from the carnage:
“The attacks are now becoming daily. From Saturday until now, about 20 people have reportedly been killed. Even my cousin was among those killed during yesterday’s attack. He was eight years old. His name was Aondufa.”
With each attack, more families are being uprooted, forced to flee to towns and cities already struggling with overcrowded camps and inadequate resources. Many fear that their ancestral lands may never be safe again, as armed herders continue to establish new grazing territories in once-thriving farming communities.
“Now, many people are leaving because we don’t want to die. I have asked my brothers to take the children and elderly people who can’t defend themselves to neighbouring towns in case of subsequent attacks,” the Jato-Aka resident said.
As Nigeria grapples with this escalating crisis, urgent intervention is needed to address the root causes of the conflict. Experts and humanitarian groups are calling for:
1. Strengthened Security Measures – The disarmament of armed herders and criminal groups must be prioritized, with military patrols increased in affected regions.
2. Effective Implementation of Anti-Open Grazing Laws – The National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) must be fully enforced, ensuring the transition to ranching-based livestock farming.
3. Support for IDPs and Reconstruction Efforts – More resources should be allocated to humanitarian aid, providing displaced persons with food, shelter, healthcare, and security.
4. Improved Intelligence and Border Security – Preventing the influx of illegal weapons will help curb the violence.
5. Dialogue and Conflict Resolution – Long-term peace solutions require community engagement between farmers and pastoralist groups to foster coexistence.
The SB Morgen report paints a bleak picture of Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, which, if left unchecked, could have far-reaching consequences. With millions displaced, thousands killed, and the country’s food security under threat, the herders-farmers conflict has evolved into a national emergency.
Unless decisive action is taken, more communities will be lost, and millions more will be forced to flee their homes—turning Nigeria into a land of refugees within its own borders.
