Tension is mounting in Benue State as three major socio-cultural groups have issued a stern warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring their communities will no longer remain defenceless in the face of sustained attacks by armed herders.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that the groups, Mdzough U Tiv, Ochitoha K’Idoma, and Om’Igede, made this declaration following the recent massacre in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, where over 200 villagers were reportedly killed and hundreds more displaced by suspected Fulani militias on June 13, 2025.
The President General of Mdzough U Tiv, Iorbee Ihagh, a retired Comptroller of Prisons, issued a strong statement invoking Benue’s historical resistance during the 1804 Jihad war, when the Tiv people repelled external threats using traditional self-defence systems.
He insisted that, in the absence of meaningful government protection, the people must return to their ancestral methods of defending their lives and land.
“If we employ self-defence now, it means we must be ready to die. It is either we die first or the enemy dies,” Ihagh declared.
His remarks reflect growing frustration across rural communities in Benue State, where many feel abandoned by federal security forces despite repeated appeals and numerous casualties from herder militia violence.
The Yelewata massacre is only the latest in a series of brutal attacks that have plagued the region for years.
Adding his voice, the Chairman of the Traditional Council of Gwer West, Chief Daniel Abomtse, emphasized the need for communities to bear arms, arguing that locals are capable of confronting invaders if given the opportunity.
“If our people are mobilised and allowed to defend themselves, they can confront the attackers at the point of entry,” Chief Abomtse said.
While the outcry for self-defence grows louder, some political leaders are urging patience. Hon. Peter Uche, who represents Guma Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, acknowledged the community’s frustration but pointed to recent federal actions as signs of progress.
“There was agitation for self-help when we realised we had to take our safety seriously.
But with the president’s commitment and the arrest of over 50 suspects, no president has shown this level of dedication before,” Uche said.
Despite these assurances, many residents remain unconvinced.
They argue that military presence in the state has not translated into real protection, especially in rural communities where attacks often go unchecked and victims are left without justice or support.
Benue State has remained one of Nigeria’s worst-hit regions in the ongoing farmer-herder conflict.
For years, killings, displacement, and destruction of farmlands have continued unabated.
Multiple attempts by successive governments to curb the violence, including military operations, peace talks, and grazing bans, have largely failed to restore lasting peace.
With mounting casualties and government assurances falling flat, traditional leaders and cultural organizations now say they may have no choice but to take matters into their own hands, raising the stakes in an already volatile region.
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