Makurdi, Nigeria — Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has issued a grave warning that the state is under siege, following a series of coordinated attacks by suspected armed herdsmen that have left at least 72 people dead over the Easter period.
The violence erupted on Holy Thursday and continued into Good Friday, targeting Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs). Eyewitness accounts confirm that the assailants, riding in convoys of motorcycles, launched synchronized strikes—murdering civilians, torching homes, and displacing hundreds.
These latest killings follow earlier deadly raids on communities in Otukpo LGA—including Ikobi, Asa 2, Otobi-Akpa, Emichi, Okpomaju, and Odudaje—where an estimated 30 people were killed, and scores were wounded. Similar unrelenting assaults have plagued residents of Kwande LGA, where Governor Alia says terrorists “daily kill locals and take over communities unrestrained.”
Addressing reporters in Makurdi, Governor Alia described the situation as a “coordinated siege” and called on the Federal Government to immediately intervene.
“We are under siege as a state; we are under attack. Those who are attacking us must have a face, must have an aim, and must have a drive. They come, they drag people out, they kill to occupy. This is extremely unacceptable,” he said.
The governor revealed that three more bodies were recovered from Katsina-Ala LGA just hours before his statement, pushing the death toll higher. He linked the ongoing violence to strategic land grabbing by terrorists masquerading as herders.
“Barely three weeks ago, we had 13 dead in Otukpo. One and a half months ago, terrorists invaded Kwande. These are not random attacks—they are targeted, well-planned, and executed with precision. A terrorist is a terrorist, period. It has nothing to do with ethnicity or religion.”
Governor Alia reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to stamp out insecurity, particularly in the five most affected LGAs. He also issued a rallying call to residents to support security operations by sharing timely intelligence.
“If you hear something, say something. That’s how we can act decisively and repel these invaders,” he urged.
Benue, once dubbed the “Food Basket of the Nation,” now grapples with a humanitarian crisis fueled by violent displacement, broken communities, and the deafening silence of national urgency.
