Survivors of recent attacks in Benue State have called for an end to the killings, urging government and security agencies to take urgent action to protect lives and restore peace in affected communities.
They spoke at a town hall in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, hosted by News Central.
At the town hall, traditional rulers, security officials, civil society groups, survivors and community leaders gathered to confront the crisis that has gripped the state for over a decade.
The event came on the heels of a deadly escalation in violence across the region. Since 2009, hundreds of communities in Benue have suffered repeated attacks, often blamed on Fulani militia.
These assaults have led to the deaths of thousands and the displacement of over 2 million people, turning vibrant farming settlements into ghost towns. In just the last two years alone, more than 1,000 lives have been lost, making the urgency for resolution more critical than ever.
The executive chairman of Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Chief Dr. Amos Gizo, identified climate change as a key driver of the conflict. He stressed the government’s intention to implement sustainable solutions.
Other participants voiced growing disillusionment with the pace of action. Survivors and activists spoke of lives torn apart and futures uncertain.
Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, a prominent voice at the gathering, said; “These attacks are genocidal. There’s an ethnic cleansing going on in Benue State.”
Participants painted a grim picture of thousands living in precarious conditions, surviving without adequate shelter, food, or medical care.
Civil society leaders also stressed the urgent need for coordinated relief efforts, but also called for long-term strategies to address land disputes, ethnic tensions, and the absence of justice.
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