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Category: Investigations, Inclusion

Decades of Bloodshed: How a Lingering Land Dispute Fuels Death, Displacement, and Despair in Benue

The Bonta-Ukpute conflict in Benue State, rooted in a decades-long land dispute, has intensified, resulting in over 20 deaths, widespread destruction, and mass displacement. Despite numerous efforts for peace, including calls for government intervention and boundary demarcation, residents continue to suffer, facing food insecurity and lack of aid amid government neglect.

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Hopping to Riches: How Jigawa Residents Make Fortune Selling Frogs

For Muhammad Isah, a 32-year-old Crop Science graduate, unemployment led him into frog trading—a decision that transformed his life. Today, he earns over ₦150,000 monthly, supporting his family. Hadejia, Jigawa, is Nigeria’s frog trade hub, supplying local and global markets. Despite challenges like rising costs and environmental concerns, the business sustains thousands and generates significant government revenue, providing a lifeline for many displaced by conflict.

Headshot of an elderly African man wearing a grey-balck T-shirt.
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Benue Farmers Seek Government, Security Intervention as They Lose Farmlands, Loved Ones to Herders Invasion

The conflict between farmers and pastoralists in Nigeria has led to loss of livelihood for farmers in affected communities. This conflict has intensified over the past decade, with Benue state becoming one of the hardest hit in the country. Amnesty International recorded that over 2,600 people died from the humanitarian crises in the state between January 2023 and February 2024. The same report notes that 18 out of the 23 Local Government Areas in the state are affected, stressing that this has fuelled displacement, kidnapping and rape.