The Benue State Government has described the ongoing attacks in the state as a form of terrorism aimed at forcefully taking over ancestral lands. This comes as the death toll from the recent violence in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas has risen to 72.
Speaking on The Morning Brief, a programme aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Tersoo Kula, dismissed claims that the violence was a result of farmer-herder clashes. Instead, he said the coordinated nature of the attacks shows a more dangerous plan to displace entire communities.
“What is happening in Benue State is rather unfortunate,” Kula said.
“Some people have decided to organise themselves and plan criminal attacks on the state. From what we are seeing, they come with the intent to grab land.”
He explained that the attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles, often ride into communities on motorbikes and launch violent attacks on residents in their homes, farms, markets, and places of worship.
“They kill, maim, and chase people away from their ancestral homes, and then seek to occupy the lands left behind by the natives,” he said.
“This is not what you would call a farmer-herder clash. This is outright terrorism.”
Benue State, located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, has long been plagued by violent conflicts, particularly involving herders and farming communities. However, the frequency and scale of the recent killings in the Sankera axis — covering Ukum, Logo, and Kastina-Ala LGAs — have raised fresh concerns about the nature of the violence.
Just over the Easter weekend, dozens were killed in multiple coordinated attacks. The initial death toll of 59, confirmed by Governor Hyacinth Alia, rose to 72 after more bodies were discovered in the surrounding bushes.
According to the state’s police command, some of the victims were killed in their sleep or ambushed while working on their farms. Several communities have since been deserted, with residents fleeing for safety.
Kula stressed that the attacks show a deliberate pattern of land grabbing by armed groups coming from neighbouring states. He said the scale and tactics used by the attackers — including advanced weapons and surprise ambushes — show a high level of planning.
“They came on motorbikes, armed with AK-47 rifles, and attacked people in farms, markets, and even worship centres. That is why the death toll has risen to 72,” Kula said.
He also warned against the use of misleading terms like “clashes,” which suggest a two-sided conflict rather than the one-sided violence experienced by villagers.
“When someone is in their house or on their farm and is attacked without warning, that is not a clash.
As long as we keep misrepresenting these attacks as clashes, people will continue to misunderstand what is truly happening in Benue State.”
Governor Hyacinth Alia, during his Easter message in Makurdi, expressed sadness over the killings and promised to continue engaging with security agencies to address the situation. He described the attacks as “deeply tragic” and called for unity in confronting the security challenges facing the state.
Security has been stepped up in the affected areas, but the governor’s office admits that more still needs to be done to prevent further attacks and restore peace.
Humanitarian agencies and local authorities are also working to provide aid to displaced residents, many of whom have lost homes, livelihoods, and family members. Temporary shelters have been set up in parts of the state, but the scale of the displacement is overwhelming.
The state government is calling on the federal government to step in with more support, both in terms of military presence and humanitarian assistance. The Chief Press Secretary said that until decisive action is taken against the attackers, more communities could be at risk.
“These are not just local criminals. They are organised and well-armed. We need the full support of the federal government to tackle this threat head-on,” Kula stressed.
Benue leaders and civil society groups have echoed this call, urging President Bola Tinubu to increase security operations in the Middle Belt region and ensure that the perpetrators of the attacks are brought to justice.
Benue is not the only state experiencing this type of violence. Other Middle Belt states like Plateau, Nasarawa, and Taraba have also faced similar attacks in recent years. Analysts say these attacks are often linked to land disputes, political tensions, and the activities of armed groups operating across state lines.
The increasing use of sophisticated weapons by these attackers has made it more difficult for local vigilantes or conventional police to defend affected communities. This, in turn, has led to growing calls for the establishment of state police and better community-based security systems.
