MAKURDI (CONVERSEER) – Three major socio-cultural organisations in Benue State—Mdzough U Tiv, Ochitoha K’Idoma, and Om’Igede—have called on residents to resort to traditional self-defence mechanisms in response to the persistent violent attacks and mass killings across the state.
The call came in the wake of a recent deadly assault on 13th June 2025 in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, where over 200 people were reportedly killed and hundreds more displaced by suspected armed Fulani militias.
During a press briefing held in Makurdi, the President of the coalition, Iorbee Ihagh, said the security situation had become intolerable, urging communities to revisit indigenous self-protection strategies once used by their forebears.
“Our ancestors defended themselves using native wisdom and courage. If the government cannot protect us, we must be ready to sacrifice and defend ourselves. It’s either we survive or the enemy does,” Ihagh stated.
He recounted how the Tiv people repelled invaders during the 1804 jihad using spiritual and traditional warfare methods, calling for a revival of those practices in light of what he described as government inaction.
The worsening insecurity has not only paralysed development initiatives but has also plunged several communities into fear, displacement, and economic hardship.
A publication from Punch revealed that some traditional leaders have begun mobilising and arming local youths to defend their communities.
Adding his voice, the Chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council, Daniel Abomtse, called on the Federal Government to legalise civilian arms possession for self-defence. He argued that the legal empowerment of communities to bear arms could deter further attacks.
“Communities are being wiped out while the government watches. If the state cannot guarantee our safety, then people must be given the right to protect themselves legally,” Abomtse said.
The coalition of cultural groups expressed deep frustration with the Federal Government’s handling of the security crisis, warning that failure to act swiftly could force local populations to abandon reliance on state protection entirely and embrace traditional resistance measures.
Benue State has been a hotspot for violence in the Middle Belt region, with recurring clashes between farming communities and suspected herders, often resulting in large-scale loss of life and displacement.
