Amid rising insecurity across Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt and much of the North Central region, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa has raised urgent concerns over the growing strain of violence on Benue, as it faces multiple crises.
Speaking against the backdrop of renewed attacks in Benue, General Musa pushed back against the oversimplified narrative of “farmer-herder clashes,” arguing that what is unfolding is far more complex and dangerous. At the heart of the conflict, he explained, is a destructive chain reaction, one that begins with a single act and escalates into retaliatory violence.
His statements came during a discussion on the root causes of insecurity in the region, which was prompted by the question of whether the ongoing violence should still be referred to as clashes between farmers and herders or recognized for what it has become, organized and often coordinated violence that carries the hallmarks of terrorism.
Rather than pinning the blame solely on one group, General Musa traced the crisis back to the breakdown of traditional systems that once helped communities resolve disputes peacefully. “In the past,” he noted, “if a cow entered a farm and caused damage, the animal was seized, and compensation was paid. If a cow was killed, the owner was compensated.” These long-standing mechanisms provided a structure for justice and reconciliation, however imperfect, that kept communities from descending into chaos.
Today, that structure has collapsed. The absence of consistent law enforcement, the erosion of community-based justice, and a growing perception of injustice have all combined to create a combustible environment. General Musa’s comment underscores how easily a seemingly small event, a wandering cow, can spiral into fatal violence in the absence of trust, accountability, and resolution.
He noted “Now, if a cow enters a farm, the farmer deals with it. The cow owner gets angry and retaliates,” he said. “Then revenge follows.”
The chain begins with damaged crops, moves swiftly to personal vengeance, and then metastasizes into community reprisals. In that context, Musa’s statement is not just a description of what is happening, it is an urgent call to interrupt the cycle.
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