The Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia, has urged President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Army, and all relevant security agencies to treat the wave of killings and violence in the state as a “national emergency.”
The death toll from recent coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders in Benue State has climbed to 72, according to state officials and security sources.
The attacks, which took place between Thursday and late Friday night in Ukum Local Government Area (LGA), left several communities devastated. Governor Alia described the attack as a “strategic ambush” aimed at disrupting the lives and livelihoods of his people at the onset of the farming season.
“These terrorists are deliberately striking at the beginning of the farming season to chase our people off their land and cripple our food systems,” Alia said. “We are dealing with enemies of peace who are armed, trained, and organised. It’s a tragedy.”
The governor warned that the death toll could continue to rise as the search and rescue efforts extend deeper into the bush paths and hard-to-reach areas. He called for immediate intervention from the federal government and security agencies, describing the ongoing violence as a major threat to national stability.
“Our communities are under siege. We cannot continue like this. I am calling on President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Army, and all relevant security agencies to treat this as a national emergency,” Alia pleaded.
Benue State has long been a hotspot in the farmer-herder conflict that has plagued Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. The clashes, often fuelled by land disputes, livestock theft, and dwindling resources, have escalated in recent years, with armed herders accused of launching deadly raids on rural communities.
