Hyacinth Alia has ordered an immediate, coordinated security operation to flush out suspected armed herdsmen occupying forest enclaves across parts of Benue State, following a renewed wave of deadly attacks on rural communities.
The directive, announced on April 14, 2026, mandates security agencies to identify, dislodge, and dismantle criminal camps believed to be operating within forested areas in several local government areas, including Apa, Otukpo, and Gwer-West.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the operation will be intelligence-driven and sustained, with the aim of neutralizing armed groups accused of launching repeated assaults on civilians from forest hideouts.
The crackdown comes on the heels of a series of violent incidents that have left dozens dead and many others injured in affected communities. Recent attacks in areas such as Edikwu-Ankpali, Ikobi, Adija, and parts of Apa and Otukpo LGAs have intensified public outrage and increased pressure on both state and federal authorities to act decisively.
Governor Alia described the killings as “unacceptable,” stressing that the continued use of forest regions as operational bases by armed groups poses a direct threat to the safety of residents. He reaffirmed that protecting lives and property remains the foremost responsibility of his administration.
Security agencies have now been directed to collaborate closely and execute a comprehensive offensive aimed at restoring peace and rebuilding public confidence, particularly in rural farming communities that have borne the brunt of the violence.
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The governor also called on residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security operatives by providing credible intelligence to support ongoing operations. He assured that the state government is working in synergy with federal security forces and will sustain the pressure until lasting security is achieved.
While commiserating with families who lost loved ones, Alia reiterated his administration’s resolve to confront criminality head-on, emphasizing that Benue must not become a safe haven for armed groups exploiting its forests.
The latest directive underscores a broader effort to curb persistent violence linked to herder-farmer tensions and armed banditry in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where forested terrain has increasingly served as a staging ground for attacks.
