The Igbo communities in Benue State, specifically in Ado, Oju, Obi, and Okpoku Local Government Areas (LGAs), have a history that predates the creation of Nigeria.
These communities belong to the Ezaa clan. One can see this with the identification of Ezza-Idelle Oju as an LGA, and the name of their community as Ụmụezeoka Ugo. However, due to the divide and rule system of state creation, they were incorporated into Benue State. It is important to note that their clans are originally from Ebonyi State, so they should be considered as Ebonyi people. Additionally, there are other LGAs in Benue State where Igbo communities can also be found.
Igbo communities can also be found in Umuezeokoha, Umuezeoka, Oriuzor, Umuoghara, Amaekka, and Amaezekwe, all located within the Ezza communities. They are also present in Izzi, Ezzamgbo, and Effiu. The Umuezeokoha community alone has multiple villages, and when you consider all the Igbo-speaking villages in Benue State, you would count over 600 villages in total.
Furthermore, three of the largest markets in Benue State are located within the Igbo-speaking regions, namely Inikiri Ichari, Iddah, and Iduokpe. It is worth mentioning that there are also some Igbo-speaking Idoma towns in Benue State.
