Some Nigerians, organisations and groups including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare state of emergency in Benue state like it is currently in place in Rivers State.
This comes after more than 200 reportedly died in a series of attacks across various communities in the northcentral state in the last few days alone.
Authorities say thousands have been forced to flee their homes.
inubu described the killings as “inhuman and anti-progress”. He was speaking after hundreds stormed the streets of the state capital Makurdi to protest against the killings.
As pressure increases, will Tinubu give in and declare state of emergency in Benue like he did in Rivers and would emergency rule be the solution, or would it deepen the crisis? Here’s what’s at stake.
IntelRegion earlier reported that, barely two weeks after the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Olufemi Oluyede, moved to Benue State to stem violence in the state, terrorists on Friday attacked the refugee town of Yelwata in the Guma LGA, killing more than 100 people.
Residents described the carnage as the most deadly invasion by armed men since 2009, when they started experiencing terror attacks.
The assailants, believed to be Fulani militia, arrived in the town’s market square around 10 p.m. on 13 June.
“While some of them were shooting sporadically, others macheted people,” Achin Mathias, a survivor of the attack said. “Most of the victims are displaced persons from other villages who were taking refuge inside stores in the market square.”
The terrorists also set stores and houses ablaze. Mr Mathias said more than 100 bodies have been recovered, “while others were burnt beyond recognition.”
Benue Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Edet Edeme, an ASP, confirmed the incident, but was silent on the casualty figure.
“While some of them were shooting sporadically, others macheted people,” Achin Mathias, a survivor of the attack said. “Most of the victims are displaced persons from other villages who were taking refuge inside stores in the market square.”
The terrorists also set stores and houses ablaze. Mr Mathias said more than 100 bodies have been recovered, “while others were burnt beyond recognition.”
Yelwata shares a border with Nasarawa State, where a military airstrike in 2023 killed scores of herders who were offloading cattle from a truck after they were recovered from officials of the Benue Livestock Guard who had seized them.
The area has experienced many violent attacks since that incident.
Violence in Benue
This is not a new problem but it has escalated recently.
More than 800 people were killed and nearly 400 others were kidnapped in the state in the last two years, according to data obtained from Armed Conflict Event and Location Data (ACLED).
This is as a result of fallout between herders and farmers especially in Nigeria’s northcentral region.
Herders, mostly from the Fulani ethnic group, move around to find food for their cattle, bringing them into conflict with the owners of farms, who say the cattle trample their crops and pollute water sources.
Some of them are armed with powerful guns, saying they need to protect themselves from cattle thieves.
While the farmers often blame the Fulanis for the violence, one of the community’s leaders, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, speaking to BBC on the conflict said that his people were not behind the killings in Benue.
“Our people are not behind the Benue killings, we know there are some unresolved issues in Benue which have been there for some time.
“But we have never allowed any of our people to attack or kill others,” he says.
The authorities have not blamed any group but it is safe to assume that there are lots of victims on both sides, as any attack usually leads to revenge and then a cycle of violence.
“Environmental degradation, notably climate change-induced desertification and irregular rainfall patterns in Nigeria’s northern regions, plays a critical role,” says Analyst Kabir Adamu, head of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited
“These pressures compel herders to migrate southward… including Benue State, where resources are already strained.
“Rapid population growth in these areas further intensifies the competition for limited land and water, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of environmental stress, migration, and conflict escalation,” he noted.
Religion is an additional factor as the Fulanis are mostly Muslim while the farming communities in Benue are Christians.
Many also blame the authorities for not providing more security or coming up with policies that address the economic needs of both communities.
Emergency rule calls mounts
Amid the recent attacks where over 200 people were killed in the state, some Nigerians renewed their condemnation of the manner of addressing insecurity nationwide and called on President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Benue.
Even though Tinubu spoke out on Sunday, people say his words are not enough, and they are now calling for a state of emergency in the state.
The president, in a statement released by his spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Sunday, described the killings as “very depressing,” “inhuman,” and “anti-progress.”
Tinubu said he had ordered security chiefs, intelligence agencies, the police, and the military to act decisively and bring those responsible to justice.
“The latest news of wanton killings in Benue State is very depressing. We must not allow this bloodletting to continue unabated. Enough is now enough,” Tinubu stated.
“I have directed the security agencies to act decisively and arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them.”
Despite this, many Nigerians remain unimpressed. They question why a state of emergency was not declared in Benue, especially given the scale of the killings. Some pointed to what they see as double standards in the federal government’s response to crises.
Many referenced the recent political crisis in Rivers State, where a state of emergency was declared despite no reported deaths. They compared this to the government’s hesitation in responding to the mass killings in Benue.
Adeyanju Deji, Human rights lawyer posting on his Facebook page said; “Tinubu yet to condemn Benue mass killing. I thought one Army Chief said he relocated to Benue the last time! Nobody died in Rivers State before state of emergency was declared. Something must be done to put an end to the killings in Benue.”
Human rights activist Rinu Oduala also weighed in. Tweeting with the handle, @SavvyRinu, she said, “Zero deaths in Rivers state – State of emergency. 200+ Nigerians brutally killed in Benue and other states – No state of emergency. Tinubu, please resign. The evil you have done is enough.”
“The Nigerian government deployed an extreme and arguably illegal military state of emergency solution to a political issue that had no loss of life and didn’t threaten security in Rivers, then is pushing a political solution to an extreme case of violence and bloodbath in Benue,” an X user said.
CAN urges FG to declare state of emergency in affected communities
Similarly, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) while urging the FG to to deploy additional security forces to Benue, called for declaration of a state of emergency in the worst-hit areas.
The association’s president, Daniel Okoh, in a statement on Monday expressed the association’s deep sorrow and solidarity with the bereaved families, praying for the peaceful repose of the departed souls.
CAN also insisted on a thorough and transparent investigation, calling for the swift prosecution of all those responsible for the killings.
“These senseless killings have inflicted immeasurable pain, hence the need for justice and protection of the vulnerable populations.
“For years, Benue has suffered recurrent violence, often attributed to armed groups. In spite of repeated outcries, meaningful intervention has been lacking, leading to a cycle of impunity and further bloodshed. Justice must prevail to break the grip of impunity fuelling these atrocities,” Okoh said.
Opposition leaders criticise Tinubu over Benue killings, demand action
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the federal government’s inaction following brutal attacks in Benue, where over 200 people were killed.
In a statement on X, he criticised authorities for “hollow assurances” and silence amid persistent violence, calling the use of force against protesters “cruelty, not governance.”
Similarly, Labour Party’s Peter Obi questioned Tinubu’s absence in Benue and Niger states—both recently hit by tragedies—contrasting it with swift responses by leaders in India and South Africa during crises.
Tinubu to visit Benue amid backlash
Following criticism, Tinubu postponed a trip to Kaduna and will now visit Benue on Wednesday to assess the violence.
The presidency stated he will meet stakeholders to seek solutions, with top security officials already deployed ahead of his arrival.
Will Tinubu bow to pressure and declare state of emergency in Benue?
Meanwhile, while the president is set to visit Benue following public backlash, it was said he won’t give in to pressure and declare a state of emergency in the state even if the calls from citizens persist.
They argued that Benue State under Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration does not require a state of emergency, as it is not facing a political crisis like Rivers State. Instead, they emphasized that what is needed is a decisive federal intervention on insecurity—urgently deploying all necessary resources to stop the killings immediately.
Fidelis Aloho in his reaction claims that; “Politicians fighting our messiah every corner. Our prayers are with our governor who is working tirelessly to make Benue state a better place to live. And for those who are calling president Tinubu to declare state of emergency will live to regret their selfish actions.”
“Those people calling for state of emergency in Benue state are ignorant about the present condition in the state, they can not assume who may be sent here as an administrator, the person may be a supporter of the situation or directly a Fulani person, Roberts Wendeh, another Facebook user said.
Ogunrinde Korede Kayana on X said; “Why Benue, take your emergency to somewhere else, the governor is not denying that killings didn’t happen, there are about 4 diffrent borders that are porous in the same state causing the insecurities.”
Also, it was said that the president won’t declare state of emergency in the Benue because it’s not a political decider state like Rivers and as the state is an All Progressives Congress (APC) state.
Bright Chukwudi Ogbonna, a Facebook user wrote; “Benue is not an electoral decider, unlike Rivers state which is strategically located to decide who becomes president owning to its resources and numerical strength. To the ruling elites Benue can bleed, just like Nigerians can suffer until elections comes closer.”
Nyero Gee with username @NyeroGee on X said; “Country ke when oils spills is more important than humans lives. This is a gethering of thefts and hungry politicians when all they care about his there own interests. But one day na one day sha.”
