A large rice farm in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State has been razed by fire allegedly set by suspected herdsmen, causing losses estimated in millions of naira.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, November 2, 2025, at Tse Orbiam along the Naka–Makurdi road. The farm, owned by a local farmer, Mr. Ugbakayaa, was said to have been completely consumed by the inferno.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the fire swept through several hectares of cultivated rice fields, destroying both standing crops and harvested rice awaiting threshing.
According to an eyewitness, Mr. Ado Bartholomew, the fire spread rapidly and consumed everything within minutes.
“The whole farm went up in flames within minutes. All the rice that was harvested and packed for threshing was destroyed,” Bartholomew said, describing the incident as a devastating loss for the family.
The Ugbakayaa family, who rely solely on the rice farm for their livelihood, was said to be in deep distress over the destruction.
Residents and sympathizers who trooped to the farm condemned the repeated attacks on farmers in Gwer West and other parts of Benue, lamenting that insecurity has forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands.
They called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to protect rural farmers from the frequent assaults and displacement attributed to armed herders.
As of press time, security authorities had yet to release an official statement on the attack.