By Victor Aku

The past few weeks have been one of a sombre atmosphere in Benue state, no thanks to the murderous activities of some armed herdsmen wreaking abhorrent tragedies in hitherto peaceful communities.

Most recent of these bloody attacks was the one perpetrated on “Good Friday,” a day Christians commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. These armed men carried out their heinous attacks in communities spread across three local government areas of the state, killing over 70 innocent souls, thus making the “Good Friday” a “Black Friday”. The local governments include Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo. May the good Lord rest the souls of the dearly departed.

While one would have expected people to jettison political divides and focus on how to find lasting solutions to these senseless killings prevailing not just in Benue but other states of the federation, that sadly, appears not to be the case . Instead, we are witnessing what is ,at best, a stark disrespect to the innocent lives so gruesomely hacked down.

Some failed schemers and obvious enemies of the state not minding to bring down the roof are, presently and shockingly calling for declaration of a state of emergency despite Governor Hyacinth Alia’s spirited efforts to arrest the ugly situation. This was even before the “Black Friday” tragedy.

As if reading the future, the state chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Ibrahim Idoko in March (last month) urged Governor Alia to take proactive steps to checkmate those who may be scheming to orchestrate declaration of a state of emergency over the recent security breaches.

He made this statement while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a Town Hall meeting organised by the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria in Makurdi on Friday, March 21.

Idoko raised concerns over alleged plots by certain elements to create conditions that might justify imposition of emergency rule in Benue State.

He warned that such plots might already be taking shape, urging Governor Alia to act swiftly to prevent a crisis.

“Some individuals have started entertaining similar ideas in Benue State. I am aware of this. Some are pushing for such an outcome. However, I believe Governor Alia will act swiftly to manage the situation.

“He must heed good advice and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that Benue does not descend into a crisis that could lead to the declaration of a state of emergency,” he cautioned.

He added: “I believe the state of emergency is unnecessary and a dark spot in our democratic experience. None of us expected it to reach this level. We are all familiar with the situation in Rivers. There have been underhanded efforts to bring about this outcome.”

“I believe our democracy has come to stay because Nigeria has matured. The international community is watching us, and we have become a beacon of democracy in West Africa,” he noted.

Similarly, a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) early this month called on President Tinubu to intervene in what it described as a coordinated effort by certain political actors to destabilise Benue state.

The group alleged that certain politicians are fuelling violence in the state to provoke a declaration of emergency rule.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, April 6, Igwe Ude-Umanta, the coalition’s chief convener, said the situation in Benue escalated following a recent ruling by the state election tribunal.

“Since the day Benue state local government election tribunal delivered judgment in favour of the elected councillors from the seven local government areas of Benue north- west senatorial district, hell has been let loose in Benue,” Ude-Umanta said.

“Everyday, there are pockets of killings and there are rumours of the killings being sponsored by some politicians who constitute themselves as enemies of the state.

“It is worrisome that people who were elected to serve the people are the ones also killing them indirectly, just to score political points.”

The coalition therefore called on security agencies to take immediate action to halt the killings in the state, which it claimed are being carried out by cult groups.

“We understand that if the security agencies did a thorough investigation of the killings in Benue, many politicians would go down,” the group said.

However, Governor Alia has proved from day one in office on May 29, 2023 +that he is a proactive administrator. And this is being evidently felt in the nooks and crannies of the state in less than two years of being the state’s Chief Executive Officer.

In his remarks during the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu’s solidarity visit to the state on Tuesday, Governor Alia described the security crisis as the worst in recent memory, lamenting that Benue has remained under siege since 2011.

“Instead of a Good Friday, we experienced a Black Friday, marked by venomous attacks on Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo. It is a devastating time for us. We lost 72 lives — it is unbearable,” the governor said.

He revealed that Benue currently houses 17 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, with many residents unable to return to their ancestral homes due to persistent insecurity.

“Killings by terrorists, bandits, and militias have crippled our local economy. The security agencies have worked tirelessly, and the President has been very supportive, but we need more help,” the governor added.

However, during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Ribadu assured Governor Alia and the people of Benue that the federal government remains committed to supporting them during this challenging period.

“What happened is a tragedy — an act of evil. But when evil comes, good people must unite to confront it. We will solve this problem together. Do not feel alone — this challenge affects us all,” Ribadu said.

The NSA emphasised that Benue remains a critical part of the country and pledged that the state would not be left to face the security crisis alone.

“The entire country is with you. I commiserate with the people of Benue and assure you that this is a trying period for all of us. We are 100 per cent with you. We will confront this together,” he added.

Ribadu noted that the current administration inherited a severely weakened security architecture, stressing that progress is already being made under President Tinubu’s leadership.

“We inherited an extremely bad situation, and although the challenge is not over, we’ve significantly reduced violent incidents since we assumed office. It is a process, and we are tackling it head-on,” the NSA said.

The National Security Adviser called for unity, urging all sides to avoid politicising the killings.

“Give us the chance and stop politicising the killings. It is impossible to post security agents in every hamlet, but our armed forces are doing their best. We must work together to restore peace,” Ribadu stated.

The NSA also highlighted that insecurity in Nigeria predates the current administration, tracing the crisis back to 2011.

“This is not about politics, religion, or ethnicity — it is pure criminality. Many nations around the world, including Sudan, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, face similar or even worse challenges,” he said.

Ribadu cited his past work in Afghanistan to underline the global nature of security threats and commended the federal government’s approach under President Tinubu, which he described as “listening and proactive.”

“The way the government is responding to insecurity today is different. We are identifying root causes and confronting them directly. We’ve made significant progress, and we will continue to improve,” he noted.

Benue needs FG’s full support, not declaration of emergency rule – Alia

Reiterating his capacity to nip the monstrous security challenges in the bud, Governor Alia has declared that what the residents need is full support from the federal government, not a state of emergency.

Alia stated this when he featured on Arise Television’s “The Morning Show” on Wednesday.

He explained that the insecurity in Benue is not beyond his control, noting that he can handle the situation but needs more help from the FG to end the crisis.

He stated that his government can stop the killings happening in the state, but they need more support to chase out the armed herders attacking communities.

He said, “What we need is emergency help for now. We need absolute support. The federal government is supporting. They sent two armoured tanks that came in. Our situation has changed.

“We had a better narrative, but what we need to do is to get our people back home, to drive out the invaders, the armed invaders who have brought in people who do not even speak the Nigerian languages we speak.

“Let them move back to wherever they came from and allow us farmers to go back to our ancestral land. Calling for any emergency does not make any sense here.”

Alia rejected, without any equivocation, the idea that the security issue in the state was too much for him to manage.

He noted that the number of local governments under attack has dropped from 17 to six since he took office.

He said this shows that his administration can handle the violence caused by killer herders, many of whom, he believes, are not even Nigerians.

He stated, “We couldn’t have trimmed it from 17 local governments in the front lines of the attacks to nine and then now to six, which means we have the capability to do this, but we need help. And that is a fact.”

The Governor and indeed Benue residents are optimistic that the days of such bloody attacks are over and the state will soon return to the path of peace, productivity and prosperity.

Victor Aku, a public analyst writes from Abuja