Reverend Father Patrick Alumuku, Director of Communications for the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, has shed new light on the deep-rooted nature of the violence plaguing Benue State, linking it to a century-long history of jihadist aggression. Speaking during a televised interview on Arise TV, Fr. Alumuku cautioned against reducing the recent killings and displacements to mere land disputes or economic grievances.
“The people of Benue know that they have had issues with jihadism over the past 100 years,” he declared, emphasizing that the current wave of attacks is part of a longstanding effort to undermine and uproot Christian and farming communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
His remarks come in the wake of the brutal assault on Yelwata town, where heavily armed men believed to be herdsmen attacked at night, killing dozens and burning homes and churches to the ground. Fr. Alumuku described the attack as not only violent but systematic, saying that the invaders destroyed places of worship, stole harvests, and fed the stolen food to their cattle.
He expressed disappointment at the government’s failure to address the religious and ethnic dimensions of the crisis. “What is happening is not just a clash of interests. It is an intentional effort to destabilize a people and a way of life,” he said. He accused state and federal authorities of downplaying the severity and motives of the attackers, even as victims live in fear and displacement.
Fr. Alumuku also criticized security forces for what he called their “lethargic” response to repeated attacks. “People are being killed a few kilometers from military checkpoints, and yet no action is taken,” he lamented, adding that such negligence only deepens suspicion among the local population.
With President Bola Tinubu expected to visit Benue this week, Fr. Alumuku called on the president to confront the crisis head-on, not through political speeches, but by listening to the voices of those directly affected. “What we are witnessing is not new to us,” he said. “This community has endured attacks for generations. We need honesty, justice, and real security—not more promises.”
The priest’s statements have resonated widely, especially among advocacy groups and international observers, who are calling for deeper investigations into the roots of the violence. Humanitarian organizations have also warned that the conflict, if not resolved, will severely affect food production and national stability.
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