The escalating cycle of violence in Nigeria’s North Central region has taken a disturbing turn, with recent attacks revealing a deepening ethno-communal divide that threatens the fragile peace of the zone.
While widespread attention has been given to recent heinous mass killings of over 100 victims in Tiv-dominated areas, fresh intelligence and local sources reveal that a silent wave of retaliatory violence targeting none violent Fulani communities is gaining momentum with little or no state response.
From June 21 to 22, no fewer than 20 Fulani men were reportedly killed and over 200 cattle either shot or maimed in parts of Benue State, particularly in the southern axis of Makurdi, allegedly by armed Tiv ethnic militias. Displaced Fulani survivors, along with scattered cattle, are said to have fled into surrounding forests or crossed into nearby states including Nasarawa and Plateau.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has said that Fulani herdsmen are not responsible for the recent killings and kidnappings in Benue South. This was made known by the association’s chairman, Mohammed Risku, who addressed the growing fear and tension in the area. He explained that he…
The Department of State Services (DSS) wrote to Moses Gara, commander of operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), about planned attacks on communities in Benue and Nasarawa states in May, according to a leaked memo. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) launched operation Whirl Wind Stroke in Benue in 2018. The operation comprises the…
No fewer than 100 cattle reportedly owned by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen have died under mysterious circumstances while crossing the River Benue into Nasarawa State. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked panic among riverine communities following eyewitness accounts and fears of possible attacks linked to the mass movement…
