Ukum Local Government Area in Benue State should be buzzing with farmers planting yams, cassava, maize, rice, and beniseed. Instead, fields lie abandoned despite three consecutive heavy rains that heralded the start of the 2026 planting season. The reason: escalating insecurity across Ukum, Logo, and Katsina-Ala.
In January alone, over 25 attacks by armed bandits, suspected herdsmen militias, and unknown gunmen were reported in the Sankera axis. Farmers who attempt to clear their land risk ambush, kidnapping, or death. Many have fled to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, leaving fertile lands overgrown and unploughed.
The implications are severe. Without planting now, Benue—historically Nigeria’s food basket—faces a looming food crisis. Prices of staple crops could soar, families will struggle to afford meals, and children may drop out of school. Youths, instead of learning modern farming, risk idleness or even joining criminal elements terrorizing their own communities.
Local farmers and community leaders are calling on state and federal authorities to urgently step up security measures. “If we cannot farm in peace, there will be no harvest. And no harvest means hunger for our people,” one elder warned.
The heavy rains, meant to nourish the soil, have instead highlighted a stark reality: farming in Ukum today is a life-threatening gamble. With the planting window closing fast, urgent interventions are needed to prevent an economic and humanitarian disaster.
