President Bola Tinubu has directed Nigerian security agencies to end the ongoing wave of violence in Benue State after more than 200 people were reported killed in recent days. Labeling the killings as “inhuman and anti-progress,” Tinubu’s remarks followed mass protests in Makurdi, the state capital, where citizens took to the streets demanding government action.
The crisis, rooted in longstanding conflict between nomadic herders—primarily of Fulani ethnicity—and local farmers, has plagued Nigeria’s Middle Belt for years. According to security analyst Kabir Adamu, at least 1,043 people were killed in Benue between May 2023 and May 2025, underscoring the deepening severity of the violence.
The violence is driven by environmental, economic, and ethnic-religious tensions. Climate change and desertification in the north have pushed herders south into Benue, creating fierce competition over land and water. The region’s Muslim Fulani herders frequently clash with predominantly Christian farming communities, escalating into a cycle of reprisal attacks.
Community leaders like Baba Othman Ngelzarma deny Fulani involvement in the recent killings, while analysts say poor governance, inadequate security, and lack of sustainable land-use policies have contributed to the crisis.
Despite past interventions—like a federal joint task force in 2018 and the newly launched Forest Guards—analysts argue that real progress requires a combined approach. This includes sustained deployment of intelligence-led security forces and equitable grazing policies that prevent further clashes.
The crisis in Benue has been overshadowed by other national security concerns, including Boko Haram in the northeast, secessionist movements in the southeast, and rampant kidnapping in the northwest. Public analyst Sam Philip says this neglect has allowed the situation to spiral out of control.
Swifteradio.com
