Blood on the Land: Governors Warn of Coordinated Takeover by Terrorists

In a heartbreaking turn of events, the governors of Benue and Plateau states—Hyacinth Alia and Caleb Mutfwang—are sounding the alarm. Their message to the Federal Government is, Help us now. Their people are being slaughtered, their lands taken over, and their homes destroyed—day after day—by armed herdsmen and bandits.

Governor Alia didn’t mince words. He described his state, Benue, as being completely overrun. “It’s a siege,” he said. “They drag people out of their homes, they kill them, and they take over the land. This isn’t random violence—this is deliberate. These are terrorists, plain and simple, and their goal is land-grabbing.”

In just the past month alone, nearly 300 lives have been lost in Benue and Plateau due to coordinated attacks. Homes, farms, and entire communities have been turned to ashes. Alia pointed to fresh tragedies in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas—where 72 bodies were recovered after a brutal two-day attack—as just the latest wave in a relentless tide.

And Plateau isn't faring any better. Governor Mutfwang, speaking to community leaders and stakeholders, revealed that bandits have taken over the state’s grazing reserves and forests. Almost all 17 local governments in Plateau, he said, are affected. In some places, it’s gotten so bad that bandits operate almost freely, kidnapping, extorting, and killing.

He took listeners back to Christmas 2023—a time that should’ve been filled with joy. Instead, Plateau communities were hit with devastating attacks that claimed over 150 lives in Bokkos alone. Since then, the violence has been spreading, reaching Bassa, Kanam, Pankshin, and other areas, with fresh attacks becoming almost routine.

And Mutfwang didn’t hesitate to push back against the tired narrative that this is all just “a farmer-herder clash.” He asked the questions on everyone’s mind: “How can people say this is a clash when armed men storm villages with military-grade weapons? When grazing reserves are taken over by violent gangs? When entire communities vanish overnight?”

Plateau, he said, is under siege—and he wants the whole country to finally see it for what it is: terrorism and, possibly, genocide.

As all this was unfolding, hundreds of Christians—led by top church leaders—took to the streets of Jos in protest. Clad in black, red, and white (colors representing mourning, urgency, and peaceful resistance), they marched to the Government House demanding an end to the senseless killings.

“Our communities are bleeding,” said Rev. Amos Mohzo, one of the leaders of the peaceful protest. “This is more than just violence—this is a test of our humanity. We’re here to grieve, to demand justice, and to remind the government that silence is complicity.”

But not everyone agrees on how to move forward. In Jigawa State, Governor Umar Namadi pushed back against a recent call by former Defence Minister General Theophilus Danjuma, who urged Nigerians to defend themselves in the face of government inaction.

Namadi warned that such advice could lead to chaos. “We understand his frustration,” Namadi said, “but telling people to take the law into their own hands? That’s a recipe for anarchy.”

Instead, he advocated for more structured solutions—like state police. According to him, most states are now leaning in that direction, and there’s momentum at the national level to make it happen.

Back in Benue, Governor Alia made a final plea: “We can’t keep burying our people. This is organized, targeted, and we need backup—now. If you hear something, say something. We must work with our security agencies to defend our communities.”

The call has been made. The question is—will anyone listen before more innocent lives are lost?