Benue: Ayatutu Professors Condemn Turan Attack, Warn Against ‘Government Conspiracy’

The Forum of Ayatutu Professors in Benue State (FAP) has condemned the recent killings in the Turan district of Kwande Local Government Area, describing the March 6 attack on Mbaav and nearby villages as “abhorring and totally unacceptable.”

In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees and Council of Management, Prof. Tor Joe Iorapuu, and Secretary, Prof. Simon Verlumun Irtwange, the forum said the persistent assaults had led to “massive annihilation, loss of properties and complete dislocation and disorientation of the poor and humble people struggling to live their daily lives.”

The professors warned that “the attackers were deliberately targeting communities to instill fear and forcefully displace the people from their ancestral lands.”

“The objective of the enemy is to humiliate, cause intense fear, suffering, uproot and disorganize a people and forcefully occupy their spaces,” the statement said.

FAP also expressed concern that Nigeria’s military, which has previously supported other countries in overcoming civil wars and insurgencies, now appears overwhelmed by security challenges at home.

The forum lamented the recurring killing of soldiers without what it described as sufficient urgency from authorities, accusing the Federal Government of mishandling what it called prolonged and coordinated attacks on Benue and other parts of the country.

According to the group, the situation is beginning to “suggest government conspiracy rather than failure.” It referenced remarks attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi during a television interview in which he allegedly said the government knew the identities and locations of terrorists operating in the country.

The forum questioned why such information had not translated into decisive action against the attackers.

FAP also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the numerous security formations stationed in Benue State, asking why communities under attack were unable to benefit from their presence.

The professors urged the Federal Government to allow states to institutionalize their own police systems and ensure genuine autonomy for local governments as part of broader structural reforms to tackle insecurity.

The forum also aligned with the Tiv paramount ruler, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, who has called for immediate airstrikes against the attackers, insisting that citizens must feel the impact of the Nigerian Air Force and other military formations deployed in the state.

While sympathising with victims of the attacks in Mbaav and other Turan communities, the professors commended Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, for what they described as his prompt response to the crisis.

They also urged the governor to strengthen vigilance in communities around the Turan axis following reports of suspicious movements by armed groups near border areas around Jato Aka.

The forum further expressed “concern over the rising number of internally displaced persons in Turan and across Benue State,” insisting that “displaced residents must be returned unconditionally to their ancestral homes.”

FAP additionally raised alarm over what it described as a link between insecurity and illegal mining activities in the area, calling for an immediate halt to all illegal mining operations and urging citizens to remain vigilant and united in the face of the ongoing security challenges.