‘Attackers Now Occupying Our Territory’ — Displaced Nasarawa Community Cries Out

Residents displaced by deadly attacks in Odeni Gida Ward, Udege Development Area of Nasarawa Local Government Area in Nasarawa State have raised fresh concerns, alleging that individuals responsible for the violence are now occupying the communities they forced residents to abandon.

The affected communities were among several settlements attacked in coordinated assaults that reportedly claimed more than 80 lives, displaced hundreds of residents, and destroyed homes, farmlands, food stores, and other valuable property worth millions of naira. Months after the attacks, many survivors say they remain unable to return to their ancestral homes due to ongoing security fears and the continued presence of armed groups in the area.

Residents have strongly challenged descriptions of the violence as a communal clash, insisting that the attacks were organised and involved heavily armed assailants who struck multiple communities simultaneously. According to them, classifying the incident as communal unrest could undermine efforts to secure justice, accountability, and compensation for affected victims.

Their concerns have intensified following reports that some of the abandoned communities are now being used for cattle grazing by individuals allegedly linked to the attacks. One resident described the development as evidence that the violence was more than a local dispute.

“The attackers have now taken over the very communities they displaced. That tells you this was never just a clash. It was a conquest,” the resident said.

The issue reportedly gained attention during a recent visit to affected communities by Dr. Abiodun Essiet, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement, where the scale of displacement and insecurity was highlighted.

Public affairs commentator Yahaya Kana Ismaila argued that the attacks bore the characteristics of organised armed violence rather than communal conflict. He expressed concern over the absence of arrests despite reports of significant casualties and widespread destruction.

Residents also voiced frustration over what they described as inadequate government intervention, particularly in the areas of humanitarian assistance, security reinforcement, and support for the safe return of displaced persons.

They called on both the Federal Government and the Nasarawa State Government to take urgent action, strengthen security measures, ensure accountability for perpetrators, and create conditions that would allow displaced families to return home safely and rebuild their lives.