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Nigeria's President, His Excellency Bola Tinubu |
Seemingly Endless Harvest of
Conflict: Understanding the Crisis in Benue State, Nigeria
“More than 100 people were reportedly killed in
Yelwata, Benue State, allegedly by suspected Fulani militias, sparking
widespread protests. In response, President Bola Tinubu ordered security
agencies to act decisively to halt the violence and arrest all perpetrators. He
also urged Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia to lead reconciliation efforts
among farmers, herders, and communities involved in the ongoing resource-based
conflict. President Tinubu condemned the killings as “inhuman and anti-progress”
and cautioned political and community leaders against making inflammatory
statements. Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims, especially
those sheltered by a local Catholic mission, calling for peace and justice in
Nigeria”
The recent massacre of over 100 people in
Yelwata, Benue State, once again casts a grim spotlight on Nigeria’s
deep-seated communal tensions. The attackers widely believed to be Fulani
militias, according to media reports struck under the cover of night, leaving
destruction in their wake and reigniting a conflict that has persisted for
decades. In response, as already established in this report, President Bola
Tinubu has condemned the bloodshed as “inhuman and anti-progress,” ordering
security agencies to act decisively while urging Governor Hyacinth Alia to lead
a reconciliation process. But many are asking “how did Benue get to this state
of wanton devastation of human life and property?
Brief Overview
The communal
clashes in Benue State according to media reports have deep historical roots, shaped
by a complex mix of ethnic,
religious, and environmental factors that have evolved over centuries.
1. Colonial and
Pre-Colonial Tensions
The region now known as Benue was
historically inhabited by ethnic groups like the Tiv, Idoma, and others who
resisted the expansion of the Fulani-led Sokoto Caliphate
during the 19th-century jihadist campaigns. These early confrontations laid the
groundwork for enduring mistrust between the predominantly Christian farming
communities and the Muslim Fulani herders.