29/03/2026
The Silent Whisper of Twilight: My Igbor Night Hike Experience
By Tersoo Akula
The first time I conceived the idea of a night hike at Igbor, I mentioned it to Faasema Terfa . He immediately saw its potential, it was worth exploring. Yet, despite holding on to that vision for over five years, time never quite aligned for us to bring it to life until last week Friday.
Our very first hike as Benue Hike Group was at Gbatse in 2018. Since then, however, Igbor has evolved into the unofficial home ground of the Benue Hike Group. Nestled within this landscape is the Ikwe Wildlife Sanctuary—once envisioned as a thriving tourist hub in Nigeria. It was carefully designed to serve as both a migratory corridor and a sanctuary for wildlife. Modeled after the Serengeti—though on a smaller scale—it was meant to sustain rich biodiversity, allowing nature to flourish with minimal human interference.
Today, that vision lies in ruins.
What stands now is only a shadow of what was intended, crippled by years of administrative neglect, abandoned programs, and a complete drift from its founding mission. The resort has been extensively vandalized. Wildlife has been hunted to near extinction. Trees have been felled recklessly, and the land itself has been encroached upon. It is a vision in a state of coma.
Despite our best efforts to draw the attention of government authorities to both its decline and its immense potential, we have been met largely with silence.
Igbor, however, still holds its spirit.
There are many trails and peaks scattered across its terrain, and over time, we have explored them all. Among them, the most demanding remains the return three-peak hike—and that was the challenge we chose for this night.
We arrived at Igbor at exactly 7:45 p.m. on the day of the hike. Although I had been eagerly anticipating the experience, just days before the event, my official itinerary changed unexpectedly, taking me far from Benue. I was deeply disappointed. I called our leader Terna Ade to break the news. True to form, he adjusted his own schedule to ensure he could still be present—despite his own uncertainties.
Plans moved forward under the assumption that I would be absent.
Then, by what I can only describe as divine ingenuity, everything changed. I was suddenly free to attend. Without hesitation, I rushed to prepare, getting hiking shoes and the necessary gear impromptu
The hike was scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m., but before that, we convened a group meeting which was one of the major highlights of the whole event. As a community, we are evolving, and it has become necessary to reassess our direction, so we can withstand emerging challenges and fully harness new opportunities.
Over 25 members of the Benue Hike Group were present. The meeting was engaging, honest, and productive.
By 11:00 p.m., we were fully kitted. By 11:30 p.m., we took our first step towards the mountain, into the silent whisper of twilight.
Nineteen of us set out from camp, beginning the trek toward the foot of the hill. After the meeting, there was a noticeable shift in energy. Conversations felt lighter, freer, more genuine. The earlier restraint had dissolved, replaced by a quiet sense of unity.
Barely a kilometre into the trek, two hikers decided to return to camp. I wasn’t sure what the issue was, but in a night hike, even the slightest discomfort is enough reason to turn back. Safety always comes first. Fortunately, we were still close enough for them to return without risk.
We reached the foot of the hill around midnight. By then, the weather had begun to change. The bright moon slowly disappeared behind thick, gathering clouds, and with them came the wind. It swept through the trees with force, rustling branches into a wild, rhythmic symphony. It felt like listening to nature itself move with power and intent, majestic and humbling.
The climb began.
To ascend, we first had to descend, into a valley that plunged steeply, nearly 500 feet down, edged with cliffs. It was a careful, deliberate descent, guided only by our headlamps and torches. At night hiking, speed is irrelevant; patience is everything. Fifteen of us understood this and moved with discipline. We were guided by two experienced hunters and a trail guard.
Roughly two kilometres in, something unusual happened.
From the valley below, on an adjacent trail, we noticed powerful beams of light shining upward toward us. Imagine living in the plains of Igbor and suddenly seeing a line of moving lights tracing the mountain above, without warning. The curiosity alone would be overwhelming.
Then, the lights began moving toward us.
From experience, one might guess what was happening, but experience doesn’t always guarantee accuracy. I observed them closely. Whoever held those lights seemed inexperienced. If they were a threat, they wouldn’t expose their position so openly. And if they intended to track us, they made too many errors, too much noise, too much visibility. We had the positional advantage.
When we reached our first rest point, the wind had intensified, and the cold began to bite. It was there that the lights below finally retreated. Whatever their intention, they chose to abandon it.
We pressed on.
Climbing steadily, we moved from peak to peak. Then, in the final stretch, after descending to climb the last peak, a light drizzle began. And rain, especially at night on a mountain as treacherous as Igbor, is the last thing you want.
Still, we pushed forward. Thankfully, it never went beyond a drizzle.
Much of the hike unfolded under the full moon before it vanished. Somewhere along the climb, I found myself imagining a supernatural film, us as characters moving through shadow, wind, and mystery, guided by something unseen.
Eventually, we conquered the peaks.
The final peak, at that hour of the night, wore the shadow of a haunted town. The Vandalized buildings. Uncompleted structures. Short tree stumps that looked like ghoulish creatures closing in on us. Distant town lights flickered faintly, while the folds of surrounding peaks blended into something otherworldly.
If anything had happened to us there, it would be hard for anyone to understand why we were doing what we were doing. And if many of our friends and loved ones truly knew the nature of that night, they might call us crazy.
That is why, to BHG… normal is boring.
I missed some friends on that trail. I missed my gee, Gina, the most—I could almost hear us talking about everything and nothing.
I missed the Iron Dragon, Charlie Erukaa, Wild Spirit, Ngohile Judith Erukaa Wild Child, Rose Suurshater Zege Adventurous Prince Faasema Terfa. I missed Angurum Julia Torkwase Bladequeen and her, Ashimen Lizzy Angulum . I missed Ahangba Gumyar Restless Warrior, Hilary D***h, Twas, Hanny, Hannatu Ameh I missed my sister D***hima Akula. I missed Unena Sophie DoL too. I missed TheSixth Kusugh, Joel T. Kross, I missed Uba Ter Protus, Joseph Bede Bartholomew, Jossy Taverishima Atu , I missed Florence Iorkegh, Florence Msoo Mnenga, Ibu Godwin, Victor Dagba, Linda Ade Tivzenda and many others. Wished Emmanuella Iember Sende was there too and many others who I haven't seen in awhile. These are my core hike people.
Soon, it was time to descend back to camp. Over eight kilometres covered in less than four hours. The last hikers returned around 3:30 a.m. thereabouts every single person was safe and accounted for.
At camp, Ukan Kurugh had chilled drinks waiting for us, with music playing. He also came through with pork. Whenever Ukan is on the trail, the vibe is always different. He stayed with us throughout the night, it was truly a blessing having him.
Many people worked for the success of this event, Terna Ade, Sophie, Bem, Gina and Adeta Gbenga who came all the way from Lokoja. As always, they gave their very best. We are blessed with committed leadership in our group..
People often ask why we take such risks.
But what is life without stepping close to the edge, after due diligence, of course? Hiking teaches discipline, resilience, awareness, and trust. We don’t take chances blindly. Every trail is assessed, every participant considered, and above all, we trust in God to keep us safe.
So when you wonder why we hike, we wonder why you don’t.
To everyone who came for the event, I’m sure you can testify to the experience. Spread the word.
Benue Hike Group without exaggeration, is one of the finest outdoor communities in Nigeria, easily among the top three. Our events are affordable, well-organized, and our safety record speaks for itself.
Our next event is the Conference Picnic in Lokoja—a full weekend experience:
⛵Boat ride to the confluence where River Benue meets River Niger
🖼️Tour of historic sites
🕺Club night
🎲Games and social activities
All at surprisingly affordable rates.
If I were you, I’d send that DM.
Benue Hike Group, Exploring Nature.
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