Governors of Benue and Plateau states, Hyacinth Alia and Caleb Mutfwang, have raised alarm over the escalating insecurity in their states, calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to halt the unending killings and attacks by herdsmen and bandits.
In the past month, both states have lost nearly 300 lives to the relentless onslaughts, with homes and properties worth billions of naira destroyed. Governor Alia of Benue described the situation as a full-scale siege on the state, revealing that just recently, three bodies were recovered from the Katsina-Ala area. He decried the constant attacks on his people, claiming that the assailants are driven by a clear agenda to occupy the land.
"The attackers have a face, a mission, and a purpose. They kill and take over," Alia lamented. "This is a terrorist attack, not a farmer-herder conflict. We must come together and take action."
Meanwhile, Governor Mutfwang of Plateau State echoed similar concerns during a stakeholders’ meeting, noting that bandits have overtaken grazing reserves and forests, with violence erupting in nearly all 17 LGAs in the state. He highlighted a particularly deadly attack on Christmas Eve 2023, where over 150 lives were lost in Bokkos.
"Plateau is under siege," Mutfwang stated, pointing out that no community in the state has been spared, with reports of kidnappings and killings spreading from northern parts to central and southern Plateau.
The governors' alarming statements come amid mass protests in Plateau, where hundreds of Christian leaders and faithful, led by the Plateau Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Polycarp Lubo, stormed the Government House in Jos demanding an end to the killings. The protesters carried placards with messages urging the government to act decisively in addressing the growing violence that has left communities in despair.
One protester, Gyang Dalyop, expressed the frustration of many, saying, "We are tired of the continuous killings. We cannot keep quiet anymore."
In response to the protests, Rev. Amos Mohzo, President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), condemned the attacks, calling them "horrific" and a "violation of human rights." He emphasized the need for unity among Nigerians to end the senseless violence, declaring that the killings represent a "grave stain on our national conscience."
The protests and government responses coincide with a wider conversation on self-defense, sparked by retired General Theophilus Danjuma’s call for Nigerians to protect themselves amid the surge in attacks. However, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi disagreed with this call, warning that allowing citizens to defend themselves could lead to anarchy and inter-communal violence.
"Allowing people to defend themselves could create chaos, especially between farmers and herders," Governor Namadi stated during an interview. "The government is doing its best with the security architecture in place, and we are not at the point where citizens should take matters into their own hands."
Meanwhile, discussions surrounding state police continue, with most states indicating their support for the idea. Namadi confirmed that the National Economic Council is actively working on the proposal, which many believe could be a critical step in addressing Nigeria's security challenges.
As tensions rise in Plateau and Benue, citizens are left to wonder when the government will act to stop the bloodshed and protect their communities from the growing menace of banditry and insurgency.
