By Nadal Yusuf
Lafia, Nasarawa State
At least four Tiv farmers have been confirmed dead and over 3,000 others displaced following renewed violent attacks by suspected armed herders in the southern senatorial district of Nasarawa State.
The President of the Tiv Youth Organisation (TYO), Comrade Isaiah Audu, disclosed this on Monday while addressing a press conference in Lafia, the state capital. According to him, the latest series of attacks targeted Tiv communities in Doma, Keana, and Obi Local Government Areas, with several victims still receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals across the state.
Comrade Audu condemned the assaults, describing them as part of a persistent campaign by herdsmen to forcibly displace Tiv farmers and occupy their ancestral lands for grazing and farming.
“These killings are part of a recurring pattern that we witness every farming season. It’s largely about land grabbing. At the moment, over 3,000 Tiv indigenes have been displaced from their communities,” Audu said.
He revealed the current figures from several Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the region: 1,851 individuals are currently taking refuge in the Kadarko IDP camp, 401 in Agyaragu, 721 in Kpata, and 502 in Idadu, among others.
Detailing the most recent incidents, Audu said the attacks occurred on Thursday, June 13, and Sunday, June 15, 2025, across multiple communities including Dooga Ayande in Doma LGA, Antsa in Kwara Chiefdom of Keana LGA, Tse Yange in Tudun Adabu/Kwaghshir ward of Obi LGA, and Tse Akura in Galadima ward of Giza Area Administrative Council.
He confirmed the identities of some of the victims as Mr. Terfa Tswabee, Mr. Sham Kyodo, Zaki Kwaghtagher Ordue, and Teryem Aondo Apav. Many others reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries in the attacks.
“We gather today with heavy hearts to condemn these brutal and senseless killings of innocent Tiv farmers. These attacks have left families traumatised, communities shattered, and our rural populace living in fear,” he stated.
The TYO President extended the organisation’s condolences to the bereaved families and called for immediate government intervention to end the violence and provide relief and security to affected communities.
Residents and community leaders have repeatedly called on both the state and federal governments to deploy more security operatives to the troubled areas, while urging swift justice for the victims.
As of press time, state authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the attacks.
