A massive fire has destroyed over 200 hectares of rice farmland operated by AgbuCity Farms along the river bank in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, causing losses estimated at about ₦5 billion.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, affected a large portion of the rice farm owned by the Chief Executive Officer of AgbuCity Farms, Dr. Tiza Timothy Tarnongo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Sources said the fire broke out around mid-morning and spread rapidly across the expansive farmland, aided by strong winds and the dry condition of the rice crop.
Efforts by farm workers and members of the host community to contain the flames proved unsuccessful, allowing the inferno to engulf large sections of the farm.
Some harvesting machines were, however, salvaged through the prompt intervention of farm hands and sympathisers, preventing further losses.
No casualty was recorded in the incident.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Tarnongo attributed the scale of the destruction to the dryness of the rice at the time of the fire, describing the incident as devastating.
He expressed sadness over the loss and assured that additional safety measures would be introduced to prevent a recurrence.
An ad hoc staff member of AgbuCity Farms, Mr. Ernest Garri, said the destruction of the farm would have severe economic implications for workers who depend on the project for their livelihood, noting that the incident is likely to worsen the financial hardship faced by those engaged on the farm.
