Armed Herdsmen Influx Sparks Fear in Tyoshin and Agatu
The fragile peace in Benue State is once again under threat as a massive influx of suspected armed herdsmen has sent shockwaves through the Tyoshin community in Gwer-West and various wards in Agatu Local Government Areas. On January 10, 2026, reports emerged that fear has completely enveloped these agrarian regions, with residents and academic forums raising the alarm over a “renewed and increasing” presence of heavily armed militants. This development, described as a grave humanitarian and security crisis, has forced many farmers to abandon their ancestral lands just as the harvest season reaches its peak.
The Tyoshin Alarm: Academics Challenge Government Narrative
The Forum of Tyoshin Academics (FoTA), led by National President Prof. Patrick Ukase and Secretary Prof. John Ajai, issued a stern statement on Saturday, calling on the state government and security agencies to act before the situation spirals out of control. FoTA expressed deep concern over the “false picture of reality” allegedly being painted by state officials.
Specifically, the forum criticized a viral video featuring the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Hon. Aondowase Kunde, who claimed that all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue, including those from Gwer-West, had safely returned home. FoTA countered this claim, insisting that many villages remain inaccessible and that the new influx of armed herders—already grazing on cultivated fields and destroying standing crops—has made a return to normalcy impossible.
The “Sokoto Fallout”: Fleeing Terrorists Infiltrate Agatu
The security breach is not limited to Gwer-West. In Agatu Local Government Area, Chairman James Melvin Ejeh has confirmed a similar “unprecedented terror” following the infiltration of armed elements. Security analysts believe this influx is a direct fallout of recent U.S. and Nigerian military airstrikes on terrorist enclaves in the Sokoto axis on Christmas Day 2025.
The strikes reportedly destabilized Islamic State-linked groups, forcing them to flee across the Nasarawa borders into the riverine and forest areas of Benue. According to Chairman Ejeh:
- Brutal Killings: Fresh attacks have resulted in the deaths of innocent residents.
- Widespread Destruction: Homes and farmlands have been razed.
- Revocation of Agreements: In response, the Agatu council has officially revoked the 2017 grazing agreement that granted herders access to Adepati Island, ordering all armed elements to vacate the land immediately.
The Monarch’s Plea: “Gwer-West is the Epicentre”
Adding his voice to the growing outcry, the Chairman of the Gwer-West Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty Daniel Abomtse, described his domain as the “epicenter of attacks.” The monarch revealed that he personally lost 18 hectares of guinea corn and 10 hectares of cassava to cattle grazing under the watch of seemingly indifferent security personnel.
Abomtse’s frustration mirrors that of his subjects, many of whom have deserted their homes in all 15 council wards of Gwer-West. The monarch has gone as far as appealing for international intervention, suggesting that the same precision airstrikes used in Sokoto be extended to the forest hideouts in Benue to flush out the “fleeing terrorists” who are masquerading as herders.
Economic and Humanitarian Implications
The timing of this influx is catastrophic for Benue, Nigeria’s “Food Basket.” As farmers are chased away from their harvests, the risk of a regional food shortage increases. The displacement of hundreds of families also puts a fresh strain on the state’s humanitarian resources, contradicting official claims that the IDP crisis is nearing an end.
Conclusion
The panic gripping the Tyoshin and Agatu communities is a stark reminder that military operations in one part of the country can have unintended “spillover” effects in another. As the Benue State Government faces mounting pressure to implement the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Law strictly, the residents of Gwer-West and Agatu wait in fear. For these communities, the presence of armed herders is not just a seasonal movement—it is an existential threat to their lives and livelihoods.
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