The Social Impact of Herdsmen Attacks on Rural Farming Communities in Benue State

Attacks attributed to nomadic herdsmen on farming communities in Benue State have generated displacement, livelihood collapse, and profound social trauma among affected rural populations. This study examines the social impact of these attacks on rural farming communities in Benue State, North Central Nigeria. A qualitative design was employed, with focus group discussions conducted with forty-eight community members across eight villages in Agatu, Logo, and Guma local government areas, and in-depth interviews with twelve community leaders and six government humanitarian officials. The Trauma and Social Recovery theoretical perspective was applied. Findings reveal that violence perpetrated in the study communities had resulted in mass displacement to IDP camps and urban areas, with 79% of focus group participants having experienced temporary or permanent displacement. Social institutions including age-grade associations, community cooperatives, and seasonal festivals had been suspended or permanently discontinued in three of the eight communities. Inter-community social trust had collapsed in areas where attacks were perceived to be ethnically motivated. Widows and orphans constituted the most socially vulnerable post-attack populations, lacking both economic resources and male kinship protection. Return to farming was complicated by persistent insecurity and the psychological burden of associating agricultural land with sites of violence. Community resilience was notably sustained through church and mosque social networks that provided mutual aid during displacement. Recommendations include dedicated trauma recovery programs for Benue IDP communities, formal recognition of community social loss in humanitarian assessments, and restoration of community governance structures as a priority in reconstruction planning. Keywords: herdsmen attacks, social impact, Benue State, displacement, community trauma.