Benue PDP, Muftwang reject description of insecurity as farmer-herder clashes

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has expressed concern over Governor Hyacinth Alia’s description of the security challenges in the state as “farmer-herder clashes.”

This is just as the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, has rejected the description, saying, “it is not a clash but an invasion.”

The Benue PDP said the description, made by the governor at the security summit organised by the Federal Ministry of Defence in Makurdi, did not fully reflect the experiences of communities affected by attacks, displacement and loss of lives across the state.

The party, in a statement signed by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bright Antyo, said Benue had experienced repeated attacks on rural communities, resulting in deaths, destruction of property, loss of livelihoods and the displacement of residents.

According to the party, describing the situation primarily as farmer-herder clashes could make it difficult to adequately capture the nature and scale of the security challenges confronting affected communities.

The PDP said residents in several parts of the state had reported attacks in which homes and farmlands were destroyed, while families were forced to seek refuge in internally displaced persons’ camps.

The party recalled that “For years, Benue communities have come under sustained attacks by armed Fulani militias who invade villages, massacre innocent residents, burn homes, destroy farmlands and force survivors into camps for internally displaced persons. These are established facts that have been documented by victims, community leaders, security reports, humanitarian agencies and the media.

“A clash implies two groups confronting each other on relatively equal terms. What Benue has witnessed is the repeated targeting of vulnerable rural communities by heavily armed attackers.

“To describe these atrocities as ‘farmer-herder clashes’ is to create a false equivalence between murderers and their victims.”

The party called for a comprehensive approach that recognises the experiences of victims and addresses the security concerns of affected communities.

The party also urged the state government to strengthen its advocacy for increased security measures, improved protection of vulnerable communities and the safe return of displaced persons to their ancestral homes.

It further called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to identify and prosecute those responsible for attacks, while also addressing the underlying factors contributing to recurring violence.

The PDP said it remained concerned about the humanitarian consequences of insecurity in Benue, particularly the impact on farmers, women, children and other vulnerable groups, and urged all levels of government, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to promote dialogue, strengthen early-warning mechanisms and support initiatives aimed at preventing further violence.

The party also called for greater attention to the needs of displaced persons and communities affected by attacks, including access to security, food, healthcare, education and opportunities to rebuild their livelihoods, saying, “Benue people deserve honesty, courage and leadership.”

Meanwhile, in his remarks during the North Central Regional Security Summit in Makurdi on Monday, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, also expressed some reservations about the description of insecurity in the North Central as farmer-herder clashes.

“Farmers-Herders clashes is a misinformation. It is not a clash but an invasion,” Muftwang declared, citing a recent attack on a Plateau community where “24 people were wiped out.”

He stated that if the North Central is going to win the war against insecurity, “we must empower and arm the communities to be the first line charge for their own security. And as communities rise to the occasion, there is need to know that government is backing them.”

He also harped on the early-warning mechanism, urging governments and relevant authorities to respond promptly to security intelligence.

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