••Benue is going through ‘a real war,’ Gov Alia cries out.
By John Audu.
Amidst the escalating horror in Benue State, where the death toll from suspected herdsmen attacks has tragically soared to 56, former Defence Minister General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) has issued a chillingly urgent call: Nigerians must rise and defend themselves. His impassioned plea, delivered against a backdrop of intensified killings across multiple states, underscores a profound lack of faith in external protection, echoing his previous warnings of a nation under siege.
Speaking in Takum at an event celebrating his staff, Danjuma reiterated with grave emphasis that the circumstances demanding self-defense have not only persisted but have worsened. Addressing a gathering that included Taraba State Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas, he declared, “I once asked you to rise and defend yourselves. I am still repeating it today with more seriousness; rise and defend yourselves. The killers have obtained sophisticated arms; we don’t know where they got the arms. But you people should also seek to get it wherever they get the arms; you must defend yourselves against the killers.”
His stark pronouncement – “unless the people are prepared to defend themselves against the killers, nobody is ready to save their lives” – paints a grim picture of vulnerability and perceived abandonment. Danjuma’s assertion that these invaders are armed with sophisticated weaponry to “kill you and take over your land” further fuels the sense of existential threat gripping affected communities.
Meanwhile, the situation in Benue is reaching a breaking point. Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, visibly shaken during an assessment of the ravaged communities in Logo and Ukum Local Government Areas, declared that the state is enduring “a real war.” Confirming the staggering death toll of 56, he lamented the coordinated and brutal nature of the attacks that have left communities like Ugondo and Tyuluv reeling.
“Since these attacks started, we have recovered corpses…today (Saturday), the tally rose to 27 in Logo,” Governor Alia reported, his voice heavy with grief. “In Ukum, security operatives have recovered over 28 corpses.” He acknowledged the desperate measures some families have taken, burying their loved ones under security cover, highlighting the climate of fear and insecurity.
Adding to the climate of fear, reports have emerged from Kwara State detailing the resurgence of a new terrorist group, “Mahmuda,” in Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas, engaging in kidnappings and killings. This development underscores the widening security crisis engulfing parts of Nigeria.
Governor Alia, while commending the efforts of security agencies, made a fervent appeal to the federal government for crucial support to quell the violence and displacement. He pledged to shoulder the burial and medical expenses of the victims, a small solace in the face of such immense loss. However, the resounding message from General Danjuma remains a stark indictment of the current security apparatus and a desperate call for communities to take their survival into their own hands. The unfolding tragedy in Benue and the unsettling developments in Kwara serve as grim testaments to his urgent warning: when survival is at stake, the people may be their own last line of defense.
