Makurdi, Nigeria — Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has blamed the recent spate of violent attacks in the state on armed herders who invade communities without cattle, describing the situation as a dangerous escalation of the long-standing herder-farmer crisis.
Speaking on a Channels Television programme on Monday, the governor said the attackers are heavily armed with assault rifles such as AK-47s and AK-49s, and have been responsible for the killings and destruction in several parts of the state.
At least 100 persons were killed on June 14 in coordinated attacks on Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area. By Sunday, the death toll had reportedly climbed to 200, prompting nationwide condemnation.
Governor Alia said the pattern of violence has shifted significantly.
“Before now, we talked about the farmers and herders’ crisis. But what we’re witnessing now is more sinister — these armed herders do not come with cattle. They come solely to kill, displace communities, and make room for others to take over the land,” he stated.
He further revealed that after attacks occur, new groups often move into the ravaged communities, suggesting a deliberate effort to take over ancestral lands.
“The alarming reality on the ground is that these attackers often infiltrate Benue through our porous borders, especially from neighbouring Nasarawa State. Some also cross through the Cameroon border. And sadly, some of these aggressors are not even Nigerians,” he said.
Alia raised concerns over internal sabotage, noting that such invasions often imply some level of local collaboration.
“A thief does not just walk into a community without someone showing the way. What began as herder-farmer clashes has now been hijacked by armed herders, bandits, and terrorists. The intent now seems to be occupation, not mere conflict,” the governor warned.
Despite previous peace efforts and a relatively calm farming season last year, he said the resurgence of attacks this season is a major setback for displaced residents who had only just returned to rebuild their lives.
