Chief of Defence Staff identifies reasons behind Benue killings

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has outlined potential factors contributing to the recurring violent attacks in Benue State.

While speaking during a meeting with traditional rulers in Makurdi, the state capital, on June 17, the Army chief said:‘’From my own view, what I have observed, three basic things. One is the issue of land. Indigene and non-indigene which is political. That is supposed to be sorted out politically.

Secondly is the issue of the movement of animals. I have told people overtime that when they say farmer-herders clash, clash means two things are moving..but if a farm stands here and animal comes in, its not a clash. It is somebody entering somebody’s property. So we must find a solution. If the animals don’t move, we do not have issues.

Again, because of that, we have issues of rustling of animals, which means if we don’t rustle animals that are moving, there wouldn’t be most of these problems.

So those are the three critical aspects that we must be able to address clearly.’And like I said, most of it is political solution that it needs because it is not what the military can solve. What the military can solve is to stop people from attacking each other”