Dismissing popular claims that Benue State’s violence is the result of herders-farmers clashes, the Tor Tiv V, His Royal Majesty James Ayatse, has described the ongoing killings as a deliberate campaign of genocide and land seizure.
During a stakeholder meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Makurdi on Wednesday, the paramount ruler condemned what he called a “misinformation-driven narrative” that has led to flawed interpretations of the conflict.
“Your Excellency, what we are facing is not herders-farmers clashes, not communal fights, not reprisals. These are misleading terms that downplay the real threat,” Ayatse said.
He explained that the violence in Benue is part of a sustained, systematic invasion by armed herders and bandits whose goal is to forcibly displace indigenous communities and take over their land.
“What is happening is a calculated, well-executed, full-blown genocidal and land-grabbing operation that has lasted for decades and continues to worsen,” the royal father stated.
Ayatse warned that unless the crisis is correctly identified, finding meaningful and lasting solutions would remain elusive. “A wrong diagnosis always leads to the wrong treatment,” he said. “This is far beyond issues of peaceful coexistence—it is a war that must be addressed as such.”
President Tinubu’s visit comes in the wake of renewed violence in the state, where over 160 people have been killed in recent weeks. His administration has been urged to respond swiftly and decisively to the worsening security situation.
