Former All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Benue South, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, has strongly rejected the characterization of the recent Yelwata massacre as a farmers-herders clash, describing it instead as a coordinated attack by armed militias that demands national emergency response.
In a statement released on Monday, Onjeh revealed that over 200 people lost their lives in the June 13 night attack in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, which he attributed to Fulani militias.
"This is no longer about farmers and herders. The people killed were mostly students murdered in their rooms, not farmers on the field. And the attackers are not herders, they are militias for hire," Onjeh stated emphatically.
Challenging the Traditional Narrative
Onjeh argued that most legitimate herders and farmers have already fled Benue due to persistent insecurity and the enforcement of the state's Anti-Open Grazing Law. He claimed that cattle currently seen in Benue belong to powerful individuals who openly violate the law.
"Many of the cows you see in Benue today belong to powerful individuals who violate the law openly," he asserted, warning that referring to the perpetrators as "herdsmen" inadvertently legitimizes their criminal activities.
"Let us make a clear distinction: calling them herdsmen grants them legitimacy and shields them behind a recognised trade. These are not herders; they are militias and available to the highest bidder," Onjeh emphasized.
Call for Presidential Intervention
The former senatorial candidate urged President Bola Tinubu to view the Benue crisis through a broader lens, identifying political sabotage, armed militias, and land grabbing as the core issues rather than ethnic or occupational conflicts.
"Mr President must act with urgency. These killings are not random, they are political and criminal. If we continue to call these people herdsmen, we are shielding criminals with a legitimate identity," he stated.
The Yelwata killings have drawn widespread condemnation, with various stakeholders calling for improved security measures and a more effective strategy to address the recurring violence in Benue State.
Former Senate President David Mark has also commented on the situation, warning that government inaction might force people to resort to self-defense, while President Tinubu has expressed sympathy and promised action.
The Chief of Defense Staff has reportedly visited Benue following the deadly attacks to assess the situation firsthand.
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