Benue Killings: Prof. Hon Writes Security Chiefs, Calls For Urgent Action
By Yahaya Idris, May 26, 2025 – Abuja, Nigeria
A Professor of Law Practice and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief Sebastine Tar Hon, has raised alarm over the worsening security situation in Benue State and called for speedy action to prevent further loss of lives.
In a detailed letter to the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Chief Hon has stressed the urgent need for a strategic overhaul of operations to stem the tide of violence and protect innocent lives.
Chief Tar Hon, an indigene of Benue, recalls that since May 2018, the joint military operation codenamed “Operation Whirl Stroke” has been tasked with tackling herdsmen attacks and militancy across Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Zamfara States.
Initially, the operation showed promise, boasting significant successes including the elimination of bandits and the recovery of weapons, as reported in 2019. He however laments that recent reports indicate a steep decline in effectiveness of such operations.
According to the legal luminary, in early 2024, reports emerged of soldiers and civilians being killed by heavily armed invaders, with Amnesty International estimating about 2,600 lives lost, mostly women and children, over the course of attacks on numerous communities, pointing out that the situation has since spiraled, with violence escalating unabated.
Hon’s letter states that recent months have seen a surge in deadly attacks. It says in April 2025, dozens of innocent people were killed in Otobi community, Gwer West, and other parts of Benue State, with casualty figures ranging from 56 to over 70, as reported by multiple outlets including Punch, BBC Pidgin, Al Jazeera, and BusinessDay.
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In May alone, the letter says more than 166 persons have been reported killed across various Local Government Areas of the State.
Specific attacks, according to Prof Hon, include the brutal sacking of Aondona Village in Gwer West, where dozens of villagers and a Catholic church were burned or destroyed, and a priest, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo was attacked and left for dead but was rescued after hours.
“Killings in the State by the invaders have become a daily occurrence; and no one is challenging the murderers. Benue people are greeted daily by/with reports of their loved ones being killed, maimed, attacked and dislocated from their ancestral lands. What a big existential challenge to the good people of Benue State!”, he states.
Chief Tar Hon has criticized recent military strategies, noting a shift towards targeting local militia gangs while neglecting the larger invasion by heavily armed Fulani herdsmen. He highlights that operations have become inconsistent, with conflicting directives, such as the establishment of a separate “Operation Planning Cadre” by Nasarawa State, potentially hampering coordinated efforts.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also points to the inadequate deployment of police personnel, who have been sent to troubled areas on motorcycles, a tactical approach he says has proven insufficient against heavily armed invaders.
Chief Hon has further made reference to the urgent ultimatums issued by the Traditional Councils of Tiv and Idoma asking herders to vacate their ancestral lands by the end of May 2025. These warnings, he says, have sadly have been ignored, leading to a full-scale invasion.
Prof. Hon concludes that at least a quarter of Benue State has been forcefully occupied by the armed herders, turning peaceful farmers into refugees on their own land, and calls on the government to act fast to avert further bloodshed.a
