Foreign Herders Behind Renewed Attacks in Benue, Plateau — Military
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the ongoing attacks on farming communities in Plateau, Benue, and other parts of the country to foreign herders who infiltrate Nigeria through its porous borders.
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, said that investigations and arrests of armed herders have revealed that many of the attackers are not Nigerians.
“When we arrest these herders and terrorists, their appearance, language, and even physical features often show clearly that they are foreigners,” General Kangye stated.
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Farming communities in the North-Central region, especially in Benue and Plateau states, have experienced recurring violent attacks, with hundreds of lives lost and thousands displaced. Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, recently echoed similar concerns, blaming foreign herders who exploit the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of persons and livestock to invade Nigerian communities.
General Kangye noted that while some of the perpetrators are Nigerian herders who encroach on farmlands during grazing, a significant number are foreign elements responsible for much of the violence.
“Most of the killings and attacks are committed by those who sneak into the country unchecked. We must, as a nation, collaborate with relevant agencies to ensure proper monitoring and control of our borders,” he emphasized.
The military’s disclosure aligns with calls from stakeholders for stronger border security and regulation of transnational herder movements to curb the farmer-herder conflicts escalating across parts of Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
