(Makurdi), Three farmers have been confirmed dead following a brutal attack by armed Fulani militants on Nzaav-Div village, a mining community in Jato Aka of Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State, on September 4.
The deadly assault, which occurred at approximately 4:00 PM local time and master more than 2 hours, saw dozens of heavily armed attackers storm the community and open fire indiscriminately on residents. The incident has once again highlighted the escalating security challenges facing Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, particularly communities engaged in farming and mining activities.
According to James, a local resident who witnessed the horrific events, the militants’ primary target was the bustling mining field where hundreds of people work daily. However, farmers who spotted the approaching attackers raised the alarm, enabling most miners to flee the area before the assault intensified.
“Their target was the mines, hundreds of people work there but the farmers who saw them first ran to inform the people and the miners ran away,” James told Middle Belt Times.
“Three people were killed, two were injured and two are still missing, we don’t know their whereabout.”
The victims have been identified as Igba Mfeseer, Achia Tartenger, and Aondofa Taav Zangwa, who was popularly known as “City man” in the community.
The attack has left families devastated, with Mr. Igba’s first son, who also served as his driver, among the missing persons. Mama Mbasen Nyitar Bigila Bur is also reported missing following the assault.
The incident has exposed serious gaps in the security apparatus meant to protect vulnerable communities. Despite the presence of both police and military personnel stationed in the area, residents have expressed frustration over the delayed response to emergency situations.
“We have a police station and also soldiers in the community but they don’t respond on time whenever there is an attack. It could take them up to two hours to be at the scenes of attacks,” James lamented, highlighting a recurring problem that has cost countless lives in similar incidents across the region.
This delayed response time has become a critical concern for residents who find themselves at the mercy of well-armed militants while security forces struggle to provide timely intervention.
The attack on Nzaav-Div village is part of a disturbing pattern of violence that has plagued Nigeria’s Middle Belt region for over two decades. Farming and mining communities have borne the brunt of these attacks, with residents living in constant fear of assault.
Security analysts and local observers believe these attacks are intrinsically linked to the region’s abundant mineral wealth. The Middle Belt’s rich deposits of various minerals, including tin, columbite, Lithium and gold, have made mining communities attractive targets for criminal elements seeking to control or extort these valuable resources.
The frequency and intensity of these attacks have created a climate of fear that threatens to undermine economic activities in the region, potentially displacing communities and disrupting livelihoods that depend on both agriculture and mining.
In response to the escalating security challenges and concerns over mining operations, Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia took decisive action in March 2024, suspending all mining activities throughout the state. The suspension was implemented citing mounting security concerns and the proliferation of illegal mining operations that have attracted criminal elements to previously peaceful communities.
This drastic measure underscores the gravity of the security situation and the difficult balance between economic development and public safety that state governments across the Middle Belt are grappling with.
As the community of Nzaav-Div mourns its dead and searches for the missing, the latest attack serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive security reforms in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. The incident highlights the vulnerability of rural communities and the critical importance of improving response times and protective measures for areas engaged in mining and agricultural activities.
The families of the victims and the broader community now await justice while hoping for enhanced security measures that could prevent similar tragedies in the future.