- Demand Swift Military Action
By Emmy Joe
THE HOUSE of Representatives has raised alarm over the renewed killings ravaging communities in the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State and called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently intervene and strengthen military action to halt the recurring attacks.
The call followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Terseer Ugbor, the member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency on the floor of the House on Thursday.
Moving the motion, Ugbor decried what he described as coordinated attacks by armed mercenaries and bandits on several communities in Kwande LGA in recent weeks, resulting in deaths, injuries, destruction of property and the mass displacement of residents.
Ugbor recalled that on February 3, 2026, attackers invaded Abande and Anwase communities in the Turan District, killing at least 17 people, including a Mobile Police officer. Several others sustained injuries, while homes, farmlands and sources of livelihood were destroyed.
He noted that similar attacks were also recorded in Anem and Tomataan communities in Ikyurav-Ya, as well as parts of Ikyov in Ushongo Local Government Area.
According to the lawmaker, another deadly assault occurred on March 5, 2026, when armed assailants killed 16 people in Mbaav community in Mbadura Council Ward and Mbachoon community, including surrounding areas in Yaav Council Ward, leaving several others injured.
“As we speak here today, Mr Speaker, a mass burial is currently being planned to bury some of the people who recently lost their lives to these attacks,” Ugbor said.
The lawmaker disclosed that during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas on March 8, he observed that although a full battalion of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the area, the troops were facing operational constraints that hinder effective response.
He also noted that the operational mandate of the deployed forces appeared unclear, raising questions about whether the mission was intended as a peacekeeping effort or a full combat operation aimed at flushing out armed groups and bandits operating in the area.
Ugbor further warned that the porous Nigeria–Cameroon border corridor in Benue State has created easy entry and exit routes for armed groups, providing safe havens in ungoverned spaces.
He added that illegal mining activities in the mineral-rich border region were also attracting criminal networks and fuelling illicit activities that worsen insecurity.
The lawmaker also expressed concern that the Kashimbila area in neighbouring Taraba State had become a staging ground for attackers, warning that without urgent intervention, the violence could escalate and deepen the humanitarian crisis.
Following the motion, the House urged the Federal Government and security agencies to immediately deploy additional technological and logistical support, including drones, surveillance assets and modern combat equipment, to security forces operating in Kwande LGA.
Lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to transform the Benue–Cameroon border area into an Export Processing Zone with strong security and economic infrastructure to promote legitimate economic activities and deny criminal groups safe havens.
The House further urged the government to impose an immediate ban on illegal mining in the affected areas and establish strict regulatory monitoring to prevent criminal exploitation of mineral resources.
It also mandated the House Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence to liaise with relevant agencies for the prompt implementation of the resolutions and report back to the House.
The latest killings are part of a wider pattern of insecurity that has plagued Benue State for years. Communities across the state have repeatedly come under attack from armed groups, leading to large-scale displacement of rural populations and the destruction of farms and villages.
Often described as Nigeria’s “food basket” because of its vast agricultural output, Benue has witnessed persistent violence linked to armed banditry, farmer–herder conflicts and cross-border criminal activities. Several local government areas, particularly those along the Cameroon border, remain vulnerable due to difficult terrain and limited security presence.
Security analysts say the recurring attacks have not only worsened the humanitarian situation in the state but have also threatened food production and livelihoods, underscoring the urgency of coordinated military and economic interventions to stabilise the affected communities.
