Following the nationwide outrage that greeted the recent killings of 16 alleged travelling hunters in Uromi, Edo state, notable Nigerians have expressed concern that equal attention has not been accorded the ceaseless attacks and killings of innocent farmers in Benue and Plateau states by suspected rampaging armed herdsmen where thousands of persons still live in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps and unable to access their occupied communities.

Some of these attacks in Benue included the last Christmas Day armed herdsmen attack at Anwase community in Kwande Local Government Area, LGA, and its environs, killing over 17 and chasing the inhabitants from their communities.

Similarly, on January 10, 2025, a prominent farmer and business man in Akor village, Nzorov Council Ward of Guma LGA of the state, Mr. Terzungwe Shaku was reportedly murdered by suspected armed herdsmen who abducted him and collected N5.5million from his family members for his release.

And few days later, at least three persons were reportedly killed, while several others sustained injuries during a bloody clash between suspected armed herdsmen and local hunters at Okpomaju village of Okete Ward in Otukpo LGA of the state.

Also, on February 18, 2025, at least 19 persons were gruesomely murdered with 16 of the corpses dumped in the river in another attack on communities in Kwande LGA where the lawmaker representing Kwande East State Constituency in the State Assembly, Thomas Dugeri noted on the floor of the House that at least five person are killed daily in that part of the state by armed herdsmen who have completely taken over some of the Council Wards of the LGA.

And just Thursday evening April 3, 2025 an 18-seater bus belonging to the Benue state government owned Benue Links Transport Company, was attacked at Ikobi community in Otukpo LGA of the state by suspected armed men who abducted 13 of the passengers after shooting dead the driver and a passenger.

Stake holders who voiced concern over the wanton killings in Benue without commensurate reaction from the Federal Government and Nigerians as witnessed with the Uromi incident noted it amounted to selective justice.

In his reaction, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu said, ?It is unfortunate anytime a life is lost in this country, whether in Uromi or any other part of the country. It is also unfortunate the way some of our people react when people lose their lives in this country.

?There are killings all over the place, on daily basis, people around Agatu, Kwande, Otukpo and several other places in Benue are being killed. Just two days ago people in the Plateau were massacred.

?And always fingers are pointed to herdsmen militia. Nobody talks about it, but whenever it affects the North, and even in a case like that of Uromi which is suspect because the people were carrying some arms and a lot of cash on them and still our brothers in the North are crying foul. We have stated that the Middle Belt can never support any reprisal from the North.

And all the threats that some Northerners are issuing are condemnable, and we reject them in totality. We are not in support of such and no live of a Nigerian be it Southerner or Northerner should be taken as a revenge by anybody in the North.

?That nonsense that was allowed in the past will not happen this time. Anything coming to the Middle Belt will be resisted, we will fight it. Let the Northern who think they own this country, who have armed some of their people and unleashing terror on Nigerians, let them hear and know that the Nigeria of today is not the Nigeria of yesterday and they cannot dictate to Nigeria the way we should go.

?We are ruled by a Constitution and that Constitution is what we will follow. If some people committed an offence, the law is there to take care of it. But anybody who tries to initiate mayhem in the Middle Belt we will resist it. We condemn the killing of any Nigerian in whatever guise but we will not tolerate threats or intimidation by anybody.

?It is unfortunate that some people think that they own this country and they can do and undo but if any other person does something similar or not even close to similar they now stand up and rain down hell on everybody. It is not going to continue, we will not allow it and we will resist the idea of selective justice that favours a section of the country.?

On his part the President General of Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, CONYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem noted that ?it amounts to selective justice that on daily basis armed herdsmen kill innocent farmers in Benue communities and you do not hear of any arrests, condemnation or outcry as being done with the Uromi 16.

?With the incident in Edo state over 14 persons have been arrested immediately. Why this selective justice because it is the same Nigerian security personnel who are arresting in Edo are also supposed to do the arrests in Benue and it is not being done.

?The people who were attacked in Edo were found with arms which is not allowed by law. Nobody is allowed by law to be moving around with arms without authorisation. Security agencies are supposed to properly investigate what those men were doing with the arms they were caught with.

?They cannot tell us they are hunters, nobody will leave his village for another person?s town to say he is a hunter. Who gave him the permission or permit to hunt in another person?s bush. If you are a hunter you do that in your community, you do not move to faraway place to claim that you are a hunter.

?Just few days ago, armed herdsmen killed a man in Benue and took others hostage. If tomorrow they are apprehended they will claim they are hunters. That means they are hunting human beings.

?So the way the matter is being handled does not reflect the fact that other lives in other parts of the country also matter because people in Benue are being killed almost on a daily basis by armed herdsmen and nobody cries out as if it is a normal thing for armed herdsmen to kill in Benue communities. It is clearly a matter of selective justice, some people are given preferential treatment which does not tell well for the country.

?So the security agencies who moved to Uromi to carry out arrests over the killed 16, should also move into Benue and arrest all the armed herdsmen who are perpetrating the killings in the state because the alarming scarcity of food in the country is a function of the attacks on innocent farmers who have deserted their farms. If farmers are not attacked there won?t be this level of food scarcity or hunger in the land.?

In the same vein, some natives of Plateau State have asked that the ongoing killings in the State should not be normalized by both the federal government and Nigerians, but that immediate actions be taken to address the lingering situation.

The people, especially from the Bassa and Bokkos LGA of the State where killings by some unscrupulous people are ongoing are lamenting.

A group, Bokkos Concerned Youths through its Convener, Makut Mashat noted, ?Reports indicate that individuals responsible for the attacks in Bokkos, between March 27th, 2025 and April 2nd, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people, are believed to be hiding in caves and mountainous areas surrounding Josho in Daffo. Authorities are urged to conduct an immediate and thorough search of these hideouts to apprehend those responsible for the violence in Bokkos.

?Confirmed fatalities, primarily of the Ron ethnic group of Bokkos, from the March 27th, 2025 and April 2nd attacks are as follows: Ruwi: 11, Hurti: 36 (31 buried in a mass grave, 5 children burned), Manguna: 4, Daffo: 1. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for missing persons: 5 in Hurti and 1 in Mbar.?

The Irigwe people of the Bassa local government area through its President, Irigwe Development Association, IDA, Rev. Daniel Gya, say they are on the verge of extinction, stating, ?On Wednesday, the 2nd of April 2025, one Mr. Dewi Nah was stabbed to death around the Twin Hill (Gyu) area, located between Jebbu-Miango and Miango town, at about 2 pm.

?The Irigwe chiefdom has not known peace in its truest sense. Several interventions have been made to restore peace in the land, but the closer we get to it, the more it eludes us. In the beginning, these attacks came as ambushes, destructions of farm crops, rape of women and girls on their way to farms or in search of firewood in the wild. It metamorphosed into attacks with firearms. Beginning from January 2025, all the killings to date were largely by ambushes on unsuspecting passersby??

However, the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives, PIDAN, comprising the indigenous ethnicities in the State has condemned the development.

The National President of PIDAN, Amb. Nanpon Sheni noted, ?PIDAN condemns, without reservations, the unwarranted attacks. These attacks have become much too frequent and completely unacceptable. PIDAN urges security agencies to do their job of protecting lives and properties and call on all communities to protect themselves, in line with the 1999 Constitution, on self-defense.?

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Government also condemned the recent wave of violent attacks, as the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap said, ?Governor Caleb Mutfwang and his administration remain fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Plateau residents.

?Security agencies have deployed and dominated these areas to ensure normalcy returns at the shortest possible time. Additionally, important arrests have been made by the security agencies and this will hopefully help in stemming the tide of this ugly situation.

?We strongly urge citizens to exercise restraint and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. The government calls on all residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies. Citizens must actively cooperate with law enforcement to facilitate the identification and apprehension of those responsible for these heinous acts.?

She added that the Governor Mutfwang-led administration has deployed strategic measures to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response mechanisms in collaboration with security operatives, and urged religious, traditional, and community leaders to reinforce the message of peace, unity, and lawful engagement. (Saturday Vanguard)

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