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The District Head of Moon Council Ward in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, Chief Wende Gabriel Awua, has raised concerns over alleged encroachment and road construction activities by individuals from Taraba State in a disputed boundary area.
In a letter dated April 21, 2026, addressed to the Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Makurdi, Chief Awua described what he termed “early warning signals” of disturbing developments along the Ugbe/Iyon axis. He alleged that people from Takum in Taraba State were surveying, designing, and constructing a road through the area towards the Cameroon border.
Chief Awua maintained that despite the longstanding boundary dispute, Benue State and Kwande Local Government continue to exercise administrative control over the area through the provision of public institutions and services. These include six Primary Health Care centres, 18 primary schools, four Universal Basic Education secondary schools, one Government Science Secondary School, and four markets whose revenues are collected by Kwande Local Government.
The traditional ruler recalled previous conflicts in the area, including attacks on Moon communities by Jukun militias over two decades ago and repeated assaults by suspected armed Fulani groups from 2013 to the present. He noted that insecurity has forced many residents to flee to communities such as Achia, Nyihemba, Jato-Aka, and Ikyogen, leaving large portions of the area deserted.
Describing the situation as an early warning signal, Chief Awua urged the Benue State Government to immediately investigate the alleged road construction using remote technology and other verification methods. He called on the state government, security agencies, boundary committees, and relevant consultants to intervene swiftly to ascertain the facts and prevent any actions that could trigger renewed conflict in the volatile border region.
The traditional ruler appealed for urgent action to address the boundary concerns and create conditions for displaced residents of Moon Council Ward to return to their ancestral homes.
As of the latest reports, there has been no official response from the Taraba State Government or relevant federal boundary authorities regarding the allegations. The disputed territory remains a sensitive flashpoint along the Benue-Taraba interstate boundary.
