Armed assailants suspected to be herdsmen unleashed a violent attack late Sunday night on Tse Yange, a predominantly Tiv community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, leaving residents reeling from tragedy. The attackers murdered the village head, abducted multiple individuals, and injured several others, plunging the peaceful agrarian settlement into chaos.

 Attack Unfolds Under Cover of Darkness

According to local reports, the attackers rode into the village on motorcycles, striking just after nightfall. They opened fire without warning, forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes. As the chaos unfolded, they gunned down the traditional ruler and abducted an unspecified number of villagers, while others sustained severe injuries during the assault.

Although the precise number of those abducted remains unknown, survivors confirmed that the attack lasted well into the early hours of Monday, leaving the once-thriving village deserted and traumatized.

Violence Mirrors Growing Unrest in Nigeria’s Middle Belt

This latest assault adds to a troubling pattern of escalating violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where clashes between herders and farming communities have intensified. Over the past several years, attackers have repeatedly targeted Tiv settlements across Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau States, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

For instance, in 2023, herdsmen launched deadly attacks in Tattara Mada and Migini communities, also in Nasarawa State, resulting in widespread casualties. In a similar vein, Farin Dutse faced a brutal raid in early 2025, where several villagers lost their lives.

These persistent assaults have devastated rural communities and displaced thousands, forcing families to abandon their homes and farmland.

Simultaneous Carnage in Benue State

While Tse Yange grappled with the aftermath of the raid, neighboring Benue State experienced parallel tragedies. That same night, armed herdsmen stormed two other villages: Tse-Antswam in Gwer West Local Government Area and Edikwu-Ankpali in Apa LGA, unleashing equally deadly violence.

In Tse-Antswam, gunmen reportedly killed at least 17 villagers, many of whom were shot near a military checkpoint. Meanwhile, in Edikwu-Ankpali, attackers claimed the lives of at least 16 people, dragging some victims into the forest and dumping others into shallow wells. Residents described the night as a horror-filled ambush, with panicked families scattering in all directions.

Altogether, these coordinated attacks resulted in over 33 confirmed deaths, with dozens more feared missing or injured. Survivors recounted stories of gunfire, looted homes, and burnt properties, further highlighting the scale of destruction.

Root Causes of the Escalating Crisis

Several underlying factors continue to fuel these deadly conflicts:

1. Lack of timely security intervention enables attackers to act with impunity.

2. Historical land disputes between herders and farmers often ignite fresh violence.

3. Climate change and desertification push nomadic herders southward, leading to resource competition.

4. Ethnic and religious tensions deepen divisions, while weak enforcement of justice encourages further attacks.

Despite the presence of security checkpoints in some affected areas, residents insist that government forces failed to intervene quickly, leaving communities to fend for themselves. In Gwer West, local leaders demanded accountability, questioning why heavily armed attackers operated so close to military outposts without facing resistance.

 Nasarawa’s Troubled History with Communal Violence

Nasarawa State has endured similar bloodshed in recent years. Between 2021 and 2024, repeated assaults on Tiv settlements in Lafia, Awe, and Keana LGAs resulted in mass killings and mass displacements. The region’s deep-seated conflict over grazing lands and ancestral farmlands has become a persistent trigger for violence.

Notably, previous herdsmen attacks displaced over 5,000 Tiv villagers from Obi LGA alone, many of whom have yet to return. Each new raid worsens the humanitarian crisis, undermines local agriculture, and fuels fear among already vulnerable populations.

Human Cost: Displacement, Trauma, and Loss

The impact of these attacks on local communities remains devastating:

• Families have lost breadwinners, homes, and livelihoods.

• Hundreds now live in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, facing hunger and uncertainty.

• Children are unable to attend school due to ongoing insecurity.

• The trauma from witnessing loved ones murdered or abducted continues to scar survivors emotionally.

As panic spreads, many Tiv families are fleeing vulnerable rural communities altogether, leaving behind their farms and livestock. This mass exodus threatens to cripple food production in the Middle Belt, which serves as one of Nigeria’s primary agricultural zones.

 Community Response and Calls for Action

Outrage continues to mount in both Nasarawa and Benue States. Youth groups, traditional rulers, and civil society organizations have united in demanding urgent federal intervention. Several communities are now calling for the establishment of community-based vigilante units to protect themselves from future attacks.

In Benue, angry youths staged demonstrations, urging the state government to arm local defense groups. Community leaders also criticized the federal government’s failure to fulfill past promises of rural protection and justice for victims.

One community elder lamented:

“We can’t keep burying our people while the government offers only condolences. If they won’t protect us, we will find a way to protect ourselves.”

 Security Experts Propose Holistic Solutions

Security analysts agree that a multi-dimensional strategy is essential to end the recurring violence. Key recommendations include:

• Increased deployment of mobile security units to known flashpoints.

• Transparent prosecution of arrested suspects to end impunity.

• Strengthening dialogue between herders and farmers through local peace councils.

• Implementing grazing reserves and ranching policies, as an alternative to open grazing.

• Providing trauma care and relief aid for displaced victims and survivors.

Additionally, civil society groups have urged the government to build trust by involving affected communities in security planning and monitoring.

 Federal Government’s Position and Public Skepticism

Although the Nasarawa State Government condemned the attack and promised improved surveillance, many residents remain unconvinced. Similarly, the Federal Government continues to promote its National Livestock Transformation Plan, yet critics argue that the policy remains poorly implemented and lacks grassroots acceptance.

The recent attacks have reignited debate over the controversial Ruga settlement initiative, which many farming communities fear could worsen land dispossession and further inflame tensions.

Conclusion: A Nation’s Fragile Peace at Stake

The attack on Tse Yange marks yet another tragic chapter in Nigeria’s struggle to maintain peace across its volatile Middle Belt. As rural communities face increasing insecurity, the government must rise to the occasion with swift, decisive, and inclusive action.

Failure to address this growing threat will only deepen ethnic divisions, escalate humanitarian suffering, and push Nigeria further toward instability. Every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity or region, deserves protection. It is time for the government to not only acknowledge the crisis but to act boldly—and fast.