Benue Government Delivers Relief Materials to Saghev Community in Guma After Herdsmen Attack

A high-level delegation from the Benue State Government, led by Dr. Stephen Terungungwa Hwande, the Governor’s lead point man in Guma Local Government Area and Chief Medical Director of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), has visited the Saghev community to distribute relief materials to victims of a recent attack by suspected herdsmen.

The team included Dr. James Aondoakaa Iorpuu, Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), alongside officials from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. The visit, which took place in Saghev, Guma LGA, focused on providing immediate support to residents affected by the violence that reportedly displaced families and caused significant loss of property and livelihoods.

According to reports from local media outlet Ohitty TV/Radio, the delegation handed over essential relief items to community leaders and displaced persons as part of the state government’s ongoing efforts to respond to insecurity and humanitarian crises in rural areas. The materials were intended to alleviate suffering and aid recovery in the wake of the attack, which has added to the long-standing challenges of farmer-herder conflicts in parts of Benue State.

Dr. Hwande, who doubles as a key liaison for Governor Hyacinth Alia in Guma, coordinated the exercise, underscoring the administration’s commitment to rapid intervention in crisis-affected communities. Dr. Iorpuu, representing SEMA, emphasized the importance of collaborative action between state agencies and the federal ministry to ensure timely assistance reaches those in need.

The Saghev incident is the latest in a series of violent clashes linked to herder incursions in Guma and surrounding local government areas, where communities have repeatedly called for stronger security measures and sustained support for victims. Such attacks have often resulted in loss of lives, destruction of farmlands, and displacement, prompting repeated demands for lasting solutions to the farmer-herder crisis.

Governor Alia’s administration has prioritized humanitarian outreach and security interventions in vulnerable zones since taking office, with SEMA frequently mobilizing resources in collaboration with federal partners to support internally displaced persons and affected households. The recent distribution in Saghev reflects this approach, aiming to provide immediate relief while reinforcing community resilience.

Local residents and leaders received the delegation warmly, with group photographs capturing community elders, men, women, and officials standing together amid the relief distribution. The visit highlights continued efforts by the state to address the humanitarian fallout of insecurity, even as broader calls persist for enhanced policing, dialogue between conflicting groups, and long-term peace-building initiatives in Benue’s rural communities.