Bloody Silence: The Benue Attacks and Nigeria’s Dangerous Normalization of Violence
The Benue Attacks is no longer just another story for story sake but a call for reajustment in our governing bodies,a nation already buckling under the weight of insecurity, Benue State once again finds itself drenched in the blood of innocents.
The recent brutal attacks on rural communities in the state, allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen, have sparked national outrage but not enough to spur decisive federal action. Why is Nigeria numb to this violence? Why does it seem like the Middle Belt’s cries are falling on deaf ears?
This is not just another tragic event. It’s a signal of a larger national failure. And if Nigeria doesn’t confront this reality, Benue won’t be the last.
What Really Happened in Benue?
How it all began In late April to early June 2025, villages in the Ukum and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue were stormed in late-night raids. Eyewitnesses described dozens of armed assailants moving in swiftly, opening fire on unsuspecting villagers. Homes were torched. Children were slaughtered. Women were raped. Over 100 people have reportedly died in just these recent waves of attacks.
Yet, in spite of this bloodshed, there has been no major national broadcast, no visit from the President, and no military crackdown on the perpetrators.
Who Is Behind the Attacks?
Most fingers point to suspected Fulani herdsmen, a group that has been repeatedly accused of carrying out ethnically-targeted attacks in Benue and other Middle Belt states. These are not isolated criminal acts but coordinated efforts, some analysts argue, to displace indigenous farmers and claim fertile lands.
The Nigerian government, however, has tiptoed around this identification, often preferring the term “unknown gunmen.” But how long will Nigeria keep pretending that they don’t know and cant find out who are doing the killings?
Benue’s Agony: A Pattern of Targeted Violence
Benue has consistently ranked as one of the most attacked states in Nigeria over the past decade. From Agatu to Makurdi to Logo, thousands have been killed, and tens of thousands have been displaced.
This isn’t just a security issue it’s a genocide in slow motion.
The communities being attacked are largely Christian, predominantly Tiv and Idoma ethnic groups. The silence from the central government raises difficult but necessary questions about ethnic bias, religious tensions, and a possibly complicit political elite.
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Why Is the Federal Government Silent?
The Nigerian Constitution mandates the federal government to protect lives and property. But when it comes to Benue, it seems that obligation is optional.
Critics argue that political considerations especially the need to maintain alliances with powerful northern elites are preventing the federal government from taking a bold stance against the perpetrators. Others suggest that Nigeria’s security forces are either overstretched, underfunded, or uninterested in defending “less strategic” regions.
If this were Abuja or Lagos, would the silence be the same?
State Government: Loud Cries, Weak Arms
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue has publicly condemned the attacks and pleaded for federal assistance. But condemnation without protection is meaningless. Benue needs action not just headlines.
Some citizens are now advocating for state police, saying that only a locally controlled force can be trusted to defend the people. However, the state government’s limited constitutional powers mean their hands are largely tied.
Is it time for Benue and other embattled states to consider more radical self-defense strategies?
The Dangerous Normalization of Bloodshed
What’s most shocking about the Benue attacks is not just the killings it’s how un-shocking they’ve become to the rest of Nigeria.
We have normalized horror.
In 2018, the massacre of 73 people in Guma sparked national protests and international headlines. In 2025, the killing of over 100 barely trends for a day on social media.
This normalization is dangerous. It emboldens attackers. It numbs citizens. And it signals to victims that their lives don’t matter.
Where Is the International Community?
While international organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have intermittently reported on Benue’s plight, there has been no sustained global outcry. Western governments, focused on Ukraine, Gaza, and their own internal politics, have largely ignored Nigeria’s slow-burning conflict.
This lack of international pressure allows the Nigerian government to continue its indifference. But should we really need the West to remind us that mass murder is not okay?
What Can Be Done Now?
- Immediate Federal Action: The Nigerian government must deploy special forces to the region and bring the perpetrators to justice.
- State Police Reform: Benue should be given constitutional rights to form and fund its own police force.
- Victim Compensation and Resettlement: Displaced persons must receive urgent humanitarian aid.
- National Dialogue: Nigeria needs an honest conversation about ethnic tensions, land use, and religious coexistence.
- Media Responsibility: Nigerian media must stop treating these attacks as routine. These are not just “clashes” they are acts of terrorism.
WhatsnextNG Conclusion: How Many More Must Die?
The Benue attacks are not just a tragedy they are a national disgrace. A country that cannot protect its most vulnerable citizens is a country that has failed.
The recent attacks in Benue State, Nigeria, have left over 100 people dead, with entire communities in Ukum and Guma LGAs devastated. Suspected Fulani herdsmen carried out the brutal raids, but the Nigerian federal government remains largely silent, prompting outrage and suspicion of bias or complicity.
This isn’t the first time Benue has suffered such violence it’s part of a disturbing pattern that many believe amounts to a slow-motion genocide targeting Christian farming communities.
Despite public condemnation by Benue’s governor, federal intervention has been minimal. The article criticizes the normalization of such violence in Nigeria and highlights the urgent need for decisive action such as the creation of state police, military intervention, and proper victim support. It also calls out the international community’s failure to speak up.
The situation in Benue reflects a deeper national crisis where human lives are increasingly treated as expendable.
Until Nigeria wakes up and faces the ugly truth behind these killings, Benue will continue to bleed. And with each drop of blood, the soul of this nation fades a little more.
If we don’t speak now, we will soon be unable to speak at all.
