Benue killings are acts of terrorism, not herders-farmers clash – Ex-Bayelsa gov

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, has described the recent wave of killings in Benue State as acts of terrorism, not a farmers-herders clash, criticizing the federal government’s handling of the crisis.

President Bola Tinubu had visited Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Wednesday, where he met with key stakeholders following the massacre in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area. The attack, carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen, claimed dozens of lives and sparked national outrage.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Dickson said the government’s response lacked the urgency and decisiveness required for such a grave situation.

“The President went there, which is good, but I think he could have gone much earlier. More importantly, the decisions and declarations made were not as forceful as the situation demands,” he said.

According to the senator, what is happening in Benue, Plateau, and other conflict-ridden areas is not a dispute over grazing routes or farmland, but “pure criminality” that borders on genocide.

“This is not a reconciliation issue. You can’t equate killing a cow with slaughtering hundreds of human beings,” Dickson said. “It’s an assault on the collective psyche of Nigerians. It’s heartbreaking and must be treated as terrorism.”

He also referenced a widely circulated image of a wounded child with a severed arm in a hospital, accompanied by a grieving mother who turned away in silent protest. “That image captures the deep pain of the people and the failure of the system to protect them,” he said.

While acknowledging that the government had deployed security operatives and that things were “happening,” Dickson questioned whether the efforts were far-reaching enough or merely reactive.

“We’re no longer talking about prevention. First it was 200, tomorrow you’ll hear 300. The Nigerian state appears unprepared for this kind of violence,” he warned.

Dickson called for a more strategic and determined approach, warning that unless the attacks are addressed as terrorism, the killings may persist unchecked.