By Mary Nwaku
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has condemned what it calls a sustained, coordinated, and state-enabled campaign of terror across Nigeria’s north-central region, declaring that the ongoing violence is not a “herders-farmers clash” as often portrayed but a well-orchestrated ethno-religious cleansing carried out by heavily armed Fulani militias.
In a powerful press statement signed by MBF spokesperson Luka Binniyat on Sunday, June 2, the Forum expressed outrage over fresh waves of deadly attacks in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Niger, Kaduna, and Kebbi states, while also mourning the devastation caused by recent flooding in Niger State that claimed over 120 lives.
Death and Displacement in Niger State
The MBF began by expressing deep sympathy for victims of a catastrophic flood in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, where entire communities along the Jebba-Mokwa road—including Muwo, Katcha, Rabba, and other settlements—were submerged by rising waters. The floods left more than 120 dead and hundreds displaced, destroying homes, farmlands, and livelihoods.
“This is a humanitarian catastrophe,” the Forum said. “We urge both state and federal emergency services to urgently deliver food, shelter, and rehabilitation support.”
Plateau State: Communities Under Fire
Transitioning from natural disaster to man-made tragedy, the MBF strongly condemned renewed attacks in Plateau State. According to the statement, at least 18 people were killed in the past week in night raids and ambushes across Mushere Chiefdom in Bokkos Local Government Area and in Riyom and Bassa LGAs. Communities such as Maiyanga, Butura, Hurum, and Gana-Ropp reportedly suffered assaults by armed Fulani militias.
“This carnage is unacceptable,” the MBF said, warning that government silence and lack of action were emboldening the attackers. “These are not sporadic acts of violence; they are calculated efforts to destroy entire populations.”
Benue State: Mass Displacement Without Accountability
The Forum reported that the Tiv and Idoma lands of Benue State are experiencing unrelenting waves of violent displacement. In Gwer West Local Government Area alone, all 15 council wards have reportedly been overrun. In Guma LGA, six wards have suffered similar fates. Gwer East’s Mbalom ward has also been emptied of its inhabitants, while Kwande and Makurdi LGAs continue to report high numbers of internally displaced persons.
According to the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), over 50 communities across 25 council wards in the five affected LGAs have been displaced.
“These attacks are not random. They are strategic, systematic, and aimed at the total displacement of indigenous populations,” the MBF insisted.
Taraba and Kebbi: The Terror Spreads
In Taraba State, the MBF reported that no fewer than 50 residents of Munga Lalau and Munga Doso villages in Karim Lamido LGA were murdered in recent weeks. Homes were razed, and survivors fled with little more than the clothes on their backs.
Similarly, in Southern Kebbi State—specifically in Danko-Wasagu and Fakai LGAs—at least 12 villages have been sacked by armed groups in recent months, with thousands now displaced and seeking refuge in neighboring towns.
“This pattern of violence is not rooted in grazing disputes or climate change,” Binniyat said. “It is ideological, it is strategic, and it is genocidal.”
Southern Kaduna: Communities Gone Silent
The MBF also highlighted the plight of Southern Kaduna, where over 60 communities across Zangon Kataf, Kaura, Kauru, Chikun, and Kajuru LGAs have been destroyed. The Forum claims that thousands of indigenous people—mostly Christians—have been killed or driven from their ancestral lands since the wave of violence began several years ago.
“These communities were vibrant. Today, many of them are ghost towns,” the Forum said.
A Rejection of False Narratives
The MBF firmly rejected any attempt to portray the violence in the Middle Belt as “herders-farmers conflict,” calling such framing a dangerous oversimplification and a tool of misinformation.
“This is not a conflict. This is conquest,” Binniyat stated. “We reject any narrative that seeks to justify or downplay this genocide.”
According to the Forum, the attackers often outgun Nigerian security forces and operate with near impunity, suggesting they enjoy state-level protection or at least tolerance.
“Survivors often know their attackers by name, yet no one is arrested. No one is prosecuted. This is a failure of justice,” the Forum said.
MBF’s Demands to the Federal Government
In light of what it described as “the wholesale failure of security institutions,” the MBF issued an urgent call to the Federal Government to take the following actions:
1. Immediate recruitment and deployment of local forest guards and civilian volunteers who understand the terrain and can support overstretched federal forces.
2. Provision of arms, logistics, and communication tools to ensure that these defenders are not outgunned by invading militias.
3. Declaration of a security emergency across the Middle Belt, followed by special military operations to retake captured territories and dismantle terror cells.
4. Rejection of misleading government narratives that suggest the violence is due to environmental or economic pressures.
“The Federal Government must stop shielding criminals with excuses. What we are witnessing is a campaign of targeted violence driven by ideology, impunity, and a ruthless thirst for domination,” Binniyat said.
A Final Warning
The MBF concluded its statement with a grim warning that if government inaction persists, communities may be forced to take matters into their own hands.
“Our people, known for their hospitality and resilience, are now facing extermination in silence. We demand justice. We demand protection,” the Forum declared. “We must not be pushed to seek untoward ways to defend our lives, lands, and dignity.”
A Nation at a Crossroads
As violence, displacement, and fear spread across the Middle Belt, the MBF’s statement underscores a growing national crisis. With large swathes of territory now reportedly under the control of armed militias and entire populations on the move, analysts warn that Nigeria’s center may no longer be holding.
“The Middle Belt is bleeding,” the MBF concluded. “And the silence of the state is deafening.”
South South Times . 