Over 144 innocent Nigerians have been gruesomely murdered across Plateau, Benue, and Adamawa states in the last two weeks alone.
Herders motivated clashes are regular in North Central Nigeria, especially in Benue and Plateau states, where the battle for farm and grazing land is very intense.
The scale of the killings is staggering in Plateau State where 104 persons were allegedly murdered by suspected herdsmen. Reports claim that 52 people were killed in Bassa Local Government Area and another 52 in Bokkos.
Several villages have been razed, families torn apart, and hundreds displaced in the region yet, all the victims are left with are condolence messages and visits from political leaders with no tangible efforts made at apprehending the marauders.
From December 2023 to February 2024, at least 1,336 people were killed in Plateau. Amnesty International said “of those killed, 533 were women, 263 were children, and 540 were men. Over 29,554 people were displaced, out of which 13,093 were children while 16,461 were women.”
In Benue State, at least 40 lives were mauled down in series of calculated attacks, including the cold-blooded killing of 13 residents in Otobi Akpa, Otukpo LGA, where over 50 houses were burned.
Eyewitnesses say the assailants arrived in military fashion firing indiscriminately and hacking victims with cutlasses while some were shot. The result? A ghost town, a grieving people, and a nation that continues to fail its most vulnerable.
Amnesty International while condemning the killings in Zikke village of Bassa LGA, Plateau State, described the incident as an inexcusable security lapses, insisting that the horrific attack must be investigated.
While the Middle Belt bleeds, Boko Haram is once again tightening its grip on the North-East. Just days ago, seven people were killed and scores went missing during attacks on the Baga and Larh communities in Hong Local Government of Adamawa State marking the fourth attack in the area this year alone.
Locals say explosives were used to target a vigilante unit and a police vehicle. Despite repeated assurances by the federal government that the insurgents have been “technically defeated,” the reality tells a different story.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, recently raised alarm that Boko Haram was resurging, displacing military formations, retaking communities, and inflicting civilian casualties.
Zulum called for advanced military technology and strategic redeployment, but it will seem that his words have so far fallen on deaf ears in Abuja.
It is clear that insecurity in Nigeria is no longer a regional concern, but a national emergency. From herder violence in the Middle Belt to insurgency in the North-East and banditry in the North-West, the entire nation is under siege.
The root of the problem lies in our flawed security architecture. Though governors are styled as “Chief Security Officers” of their states, they lack operational control over police, the military, and even civil defence forces. All decisions are centralized in Abuja, under a Commander-in-Chief.
This system is not only outdated, but dangerous. The need for state police is therefore urgent. Each region should be given the autonomy to recruit, train, and deploy security personnel tailored to its unique threats. Without this decentralization, governors will remain helpless figureheads watching their people die.
Governors in the North-Central must take a cue from the South-West, where the Amotekun Corps has significantly stemmed violent crimes. A similar joint security outfit, one backed by law and adequately funded, should be formed to defend Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kwara, and Niger States. No region should be left to face terrorism alone.
In the face of federal silence, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has taken bold steps by banning night grazing, restricting motorcycle use, and mobilizing local vigilante groups.
In his words, “This is not random violence. It is a systematic and premeditated campaign, one that seeks to displace, destabilize, and instill terror.”
The absence of the president during this crisis is discouraging, and that’s why former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has rightly called on President Tinubu to cut short his foreign retreat and return home to lead.
According to Obi, “In the two weeks you have been away,” Obi lamented, “over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives.”
While President Bola Tinubu may claim that his government is put security measures to address the rising insecurity in the country, the recent attacks in Plateau and Benue states show that whatever measures implemented are not working.
The Federal Government must demonstrate the political will and leadership to stem the rising tide of insecurity in the country.
The government should reassess its current security strategy and come up with a robust and holistic security framework that incorporates all relevant stakeholders, including state governments, traditional rulers and community vigilantes.
Nigeria must begin to address the root causes of insecurity including poverty, unemployment, lack of education, among other factors that makes violent crimes attractive to the youths. Without genuine efforts to tackle these socio-economic issues, the country will continue to produce new recruits for insurgents and criminal gangs.
The military and police must be empowered with modern weapons as well as intelligence gathering techniques that enables them to prevent attacks, not just respond after the damage is done.
