Following a series of attacks in which twenty people were killed, many investors and farmers are leaving Benishangul-Gumuz, abandoning their commercial farms, according to reports.

The region’s industry and investment bureau announced that it had been informed of the departure of approximately 45 investors and commercial farmers—most of them engaged in producing oil products destined for export—within the past two weeks, due to ongoing violence and security incidents involving well-armed groups in the region.

The Metekel Zone, which had enjoyed relative peace over the past two years, has recently seen several sporadic attacks since May, particularly in the Dangur and Guba woredas, where the Nile dam is located, a source of regional tension with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan. Two armed groups—the Gumuz People’s Democratic Movement and the Benishangul People’s Liberation Movement—maintain an active military presence in the region. In June 2024, the Benishangul-Gumuz regional government concluded peace agreements with the remaining elements of the two groups, and the security situation has improved since then.

Since last month, Bulen, Dibate, and Wembera woredas have come under repeated attacks allegedly orchestrated rebel group, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA),  which has been battling the government on and off for decades.

Investors and farmers who spoke to the BBC said they returned to their farms in September after the regional government issued a warning stating it would seize their land if they failed to commence farming works.

Amente Geshim, head of the region’s industry and investment bureau, said Dangur and Guba woredas—where most farmers work—produce 70 to 80% of the region’s agriculture. Investors with land there grow export crops, sesame, soybeans, and groundnuts.

On May 29, 2025, an attack occurred at the Assaye Mulat Farm Development, located on the border of Dangur and Guba woredas. According to the owner, Assaye Mulat, eight workers—including two women—were killed around 5 a.m., and two others were injured. He reported that 180 quintals of soybean seeds, 48 quintals of sesame seeds, fertilizers, and over 200 quintals of flour intended for the workers were stolen.

The second attack that shocked farmers and investors took place around midnight on June 18, 2025, targeting Berihun Ejiguy Farms. The owner said they were in the middle of planting sesame and soybean crops. “I had two camps because the field was large. They came well-organized and started firing at one camp while workers were still in the field. As we tried to understand what was happening, another group came to attack us,” he recalled. He said ten workers were killed and eight others—seven women and one man—went missing, possibly kidnapped.

Three days later, on June 21, another attack in Dangur woreda left two people dead, and armed men abducted a mother and her child, according to reports.

Farmers and investors have expressed concern over what they see as insufficient security support in the area. In response, Guba Woreda Administrator Ahmed Khumsare attributed the attacks to militants from Sudan who, he said, had not participated in the implementation of a peace agreement.