Benue Massacre: Defence Chief Blames Land Disputes, Herdsmen Movement, Rustling

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has identified three major factors behind the recent massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, allegedly carried out by suspected herdsmen.

During his visit to the state on Tuesday following a spike in deadly attacks across several communities, General Musa explained that the ongoing farmer-herder conflict stems from three interconnected issues: disputes over land ownership, unrestricted movement of livestock, and the rampant theft of cattle.

He emphasized that these root causes are deeply political and must be resolved through political engagement and reform. “There are two or three core issues—land disputes between indigenes and non-indigenes, uncontrolled movement of animals, and cattle rustling,” Musa stated in a video broadcast by Channels Television. “If the animals do not roam, there would be fewer problems. These matters demand political solutions.”

The Defence Chief’s remarks come in the wake of a horrific massacre in Yelewata, located in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 300 people lost their lives in attacks that occurred between June 13 and 14, 2025.

The violence has intensified public outcry and drawn renewed attention to the persistent security challenges in Benue. In a related development, 33 individuals from northern Nigeria were apprehended in Makurdi, the state capital, for allegedly having links to the killings. They reportedly arrived in two buses and were intercepted before carrying out further actions.

As the crisis unfolds, security forces have launched operations to dismantle armed camps in the region, while community leaders and civil society organizations continue to call for justice and long-term solutions to prevent future bloodshed.