BREAKING: Nigerian military identifies those behind killings in Benue, others

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has revealed that the majority of violent attacks on farming communities in Plateau, Benue, and other parts of Nigeria are being carried out by foreign herders.

This disclosure was made on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, during a press briefing in Abuja. He was responding to questions on the identities of armed herders responsible for the escalating violence in several rural communities.

Over recent months, dozens of communities—particularly in Plateau and Benue States—have been devastated by waves of attacks attributed to armed herders, leading to numerous deaths and the displacement of thousands.

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State recently echoed similar concerns, stating that the perpetrators were largely foreign herders exploiting the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of people and livestock to infiltrate Nigerian territory and wreak havoc.

Major General Kangye affirmed this position, noting that while the Hausa language is spoken across several West and Central African countries, there are distinct differences that help in identifying non-Nigerians.

“Hausa, like many languages, has regional variations. The Hausa spoken in Nigeria differs significantly from that spoken in Mali, the Central African Republic, or Ghana,” Kangye explained.

“When we apprehend some of these individuals, their accent, physical appearance, and even hair texture often make it clear that they are not Nigerians. For example, only the Shuwa Arabs in Borno have somewhat similar features to the Sahelian groups, but even they are distinctly different.”