Benue State: Escalating Killings And Kidnappings Worry Stakeholders

Benue State: Escalating Killings And Kidnappings Worry Stakeholders

Killings in Benue State have persisted despite repeated promises from the government and security agencies to end the decades-long violence…….CONTINUE READING 

According to DAILY POST, at least 18 out of the 23 local government areas in the state are under constant threat from heavily armed attackers. For years, bandits and herdsmen militias have been on a rampage across the state, launching deadly attacks on communities almost daily.

Thousands of innocent civilians, including children, have been killed by these ruthless terrorists. Women have been raped, and countless unsuspecting citizens have been kidnapped for ransom. Many incidents, especially in remote villages, go underreported. Reports indicate that over 2,650 innocent citizens have been murdered in the last year alone due to unprovoked attacks by non-state actors, leading to widespread chaos across the state.

On June 26, Amnesty International’s Programme Director, Barbara Magaji, revealed that approximately 2,600 people were killed in Benue over the past year. DAILY POST also reports that over 50 people have been killed in the last two months, forcing many victims to abandon their ancestral homes and seek refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the state.

On July 4, assailants attacked Ayati and Borikyo communities in Ukum Local Government Area, killing at least six people. Similarly, on June 19, more than 15 people were killed by suspected herdsmen in renewed attacks on Ikpele and Olegomachi villages in Agatu LGA. The attackers went on a killing spree, leaving several dead and many others injured. The local government was in the news again last week following a deadly attack on Iwari and Olegagbane communities, where about ten people were killed.

On July 19, gunmen suspected to be militias attacked Mbacher council ward in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, killing 18 people, kidnapping three others, and destroying properties worth millions of Naira.

On August 15, 20 students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos were kidnapped by gunmen in Benue State. The students, who were traveling to Enugu State for their annual Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) Convention, were abducted in Otukpo. They were rescued by security operatives on August 23 after the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, deployed a tactical squad to the state.

### Benue’s Status as the Food Basket of the Nation

Benue, once known for large-scale cultivation of crops like rice, cassava, yam, tomatoes, pepper, and soybeans, has been plagued by insecurity for over a decade. Concerns have been raised that the state may have lost its status as the food basket of the nation due to incessant attacks that have displaced farmers from their homes and villages.

DAILY POST reports that over 50 percent of farming communities in Guma, Agatu, and Gwer-West Local Governments have been displaced, with no access to farmlands or any means of livelihood. As of Saturday, more than 2,500,000 displaced persons were scattered across 14 IDP camps in five LGAs in the state. This has significantly contributed to the hunger crisis ravaging Nigeria.

### Increasing Out-of-School Children

According to the Benue State Ministry of Education and the Teaching Service Board, at least 55 schools have been destroyed or closed due to insecurity, leaving hundreds of children out of school. Governor Hyacinth Alia pledged in April to address this issue, promising to create a peaceful environment for academic activities. He stated, “We regret the number of Benue children who are out of school due to insecurity. My government will not rest until insecurity is wiped out from Benue State and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) return to their ancestral homes.”

However, since this promise was made, the number of out-of-school children in the state has skyrocketed. A source speaking on condition of anonymity lamented that the security crisis has overwhelmed the current administration. The source claimed, “Alia is helpless on the issue of insecurity in Benue. He is confused. The situation is beyond him as it stands now.”

The source further warned that this administration might perform worse than previous governments, particularly on security issues. The source added, “We pray it doesn’t get worse. We pray we don’t wake up one day to find that Benue is worse than Borno State.”

The source also noted that the security issue in Benue has gone beyond herdsmen attacks, with militia groups now launching daily attacks on innocent people. The source urged the government to disarm these groups before the situation deteriorates further.

The source criticized the political nature of the security issue in Benue, noting that when Governor Samuel Ortom was in power, he was mocked by the APC, which was then in opposition. Now, with the APC in power, the PDP is mocking the APC. The source argued that such political games will not solve the security crisis in Benue.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Benue State command, DSP Catherine Sewuese, told DAILY POST that the situation is improving. She stated that operatives of the command and other security agencies have been engaging bandits in various communities across the state, adding, “The security crisis is not getting worse in Benue. If you have been following events, you will hear about security agencies engaging bandits in the state.

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