Benue Under Siege: Politicians, Terrorism and the Betrayal of the Masses

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has unleashed a blistering indictment against unnamed “top politicians” in Abuja and the National Assembly, accusing them of orchestrating and sustaining the wave of terror that has ravaged the so-called “Food Basket of the Nation.”

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Alia described a “directed, calibrated plan” of killings—far beyond ethnic farmer-herder clashes—sustained by those who ought to safeguard the populace.

“They are architects and arrowheads of not just instigating, but harbouring and feeding these killers in the bushes,” he thundered, vowing to pursue the matter once his judicial panel delivers its full report next week.

A Legacy of Violence

Benue has long been a flashpoint in Nigeria’s simmering herder-farmer conflict. Between 2020 and 2024, at least 2,300 fatalities were recorded nationwide in such clashes, with experts warning the actual toll is far higher.

In the past month alone, four communities in Benue saw 42 people slaughtered in weekend raids; just three weeks earlier, another 23 villagers were massacred.

According to the Benue State Government, over 1,500 citizens have died in these conflicts over the last five years, underscoring the chronic failure of security agencies to stem the bloodshed.

From Ethnic Feud to Terror

Governor Alia argues the carnage has transcended pastoral disputes. “None of them is ever caught: they hit, they run, no trace remains. It is some terrorism that is eating us up,” he lamented, estimating his intelligence intercepts to be 60–65 per cent accurate.

This shift from inter-communal war to guerrilla‐style assaults suggests a deeper conspiracy—one allegedly nurtured by political actors seeking to destabilise Benue for personal gain.

Judicial Panel and Looming Revelations

In a bid to unmask the perpetrators, Alia instituted a judicial panel whose interim findings reportedly indict “many big names.”

Although the governor withheld specifics, he pledged to “take it up very seriously” once the final dossier is in his hands between Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

The palpable dread in his voice betrays the gravity of holding powerful figures to account in a system notorious for impunity.

Afenifere’s Calculated Neutrality

Amid this storm, the pan-Yoruba group Afenifere disowned a purported mid-term assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration—an unsigned document criticising soaring transport and food costs.

In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Jare Ajayi, the organisation affirmed its support for constructive dialogue and government efforts to “bring relief to suffering Nigerians”.

The move underscores the delicate dance of civil society groups striving to influence policy without alienating power brokers.