June 16, 2025
Benue State continues to grapple with a wave of violent attacks that have left scores of residents dead and communities in despair, sparking renewed calls for decisive action from the federal government.
In recent days, attacks on Mbaivur and Yelewata communities near the Nigerian Air Force Base have led to numerous casualties and widespread displacement. Eyewitnesses reported that armed assailants stormed the villages during the night, killing residents, burning homes, and sending survivors fleeing for safety.
The increasing frequency of these incidents has drawn attention to the security crisis affecting the state, which has long suffered from clashes between suspected armed herders, bandit groups, and local communities. Residents have repeatedly called for increased protection and proactive security measures, citing inadequate response from law enforcement agencies.
In response to the violence, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed security agencies to take immediate action and urged Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to lead reconciliation efforts between affected communities.
Despite these directives, many citizens express frustration over what they describe as a lack of sustained and preventive action. Security analysts and civil society groups warn that the killings are symptomatic of broader governance failures and weak coordination among security agencies.
Human rights organisations, including the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), have condemned the attacks and cautioned that the violence, if left unchecked, could escalate into a larger humanitarian and ethnic crisis.
Since 2018, thousands of lives have been lost in similar attacks across the state, and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps continue to swell with survivors unable to return to their homes. Community leaders and residents are calling for the deployment of additional security forces, establishment of permanent military bases in vulnerable areas, and swift prosecution of arrested suspects.
As Nigeria marks its 26th year of democratic governance, the situation in Benue poses serious questions about the state’s capacity to protect its citizens and uphold the rule of law.
Stakeholders are urging federal and state authorities to move beyond verbal assurances and demonstrate concrete action to restore peace and justice to the affected communities.
