At the last count, no fewer than 284 persons have been massacred by invaders of Benue and Plateau States in three months.
The latest coordinated attacks over the weekend alone claimed over 70 lives, making it the deadliest wave since the 2015 Agatu massacre, where more than 300 people were killed.
In what residents describe as mindless carnage, armed herders have continued to invade villages with sophisticated weapons, leaving behind trails of destruction.
In Benue, communities like Gwer West, Otukpo, Okpomaju, and Kwande have suffered repeated attacks.
From February to April, Fulani militias reportedly killed at least 19 in Kwande, 5 hunters in Okpomaju, and 3 in Otukpo.
On April 3, two passengers were killed and 13 kidnapped when gunmen attacked a Benue Links bus.
In Plateau State, over 100 people were killed in Ruwe on March 24, with 36 burned alive in Hurti three days later. Attacks in Manguna, Daffo, and Zike Bassa LGA also claimed dozens more.
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In the latest massacre in Ukum LGA, Benue, more than 70 people were confirmed dead. Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed 56 deaths during a recent broadcast, with search efforts still uncovering more bodies in surrounding bushes and farms.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Revd. Matthew Kukah, warned that Nigeria is facing a breaking point. He said brutality and savagery now define the national reality, with hunger and insecurity deepening.
He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently “bring Nigerians down from this cross” and make food security a basic right.
Senator Emmanuel Udende described the killings as premeditated and blamed security forces for ignoring early warnings.
Former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, advised residents to defend themselves, insisting government alone cannot guarantee safety.
Former Senate President David Mark urged the Federal Government to declare armed herders as terrorists and adopt a more decisive approach to end the carnage.
Meanwhile, residents of Benue and Plateau continue to live in fear as the bloodshed shows no signs of abating.
The guardian.ng
