Horror in Nigeria: Over 100 dead in brutal attacks in Benue!

Horror in Nigeria: Over 100 dead in brutal attacks in Benue!

In Nigeria, a devastating attack has left at least 100 people dead. According to reports, many more people are missing, while many injured people are suffering from inadequate medical care. Also worrying is the fact that many families were locked in their bedrooms and burned. The incident occurred in Benue, a region in Nigeria's Middle Belt known for ethnic and religious tensions between the Muslim north and the Christian south. Such clashes between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers are common in this area, as Kleine Zeitung reports.

The recent violence is not isolated; Back in May, at least 42 people were killed in a similar incident in the Gwer West region. Over 500 people have died in such conflicts in recent years. The situation is tense as over 2.2 million people have been displaced from their homes since 2019, according to SBM Intelligence. The pressure on this region is further increased by the rapid population growth in Nigeria, which is expected to double from over 200 million people by 2050, as well as by the climate crisis, which is provoking resource conflicts, particularly over water and arable land.

Causes of the conflicts

The conflicts over land use in Nigeria are not only regionally but also socially complex. These disputes arise when groups such as Fulani pastoralist communities and settled farmers assert different claims to the same land. These conflicts are particularly worrying in the north, as the groups affected often have different ethnic and religious backgrounds, which further escalates the situation. According to [D+C](https://www.dandc.eu/de/article/klimakritik-und-bevoelkerungs growth-fuehren-westafrika-zu-streit-um-ackerland), tensions arise when people see their rights violated, and unclear ownership of shared land is a frequent cause of new outbreaks of violence.

The combination of widespread injustice, unclear ownership and the climate crisis is leading to numerous conflicts that can be explosive. Cattle nomads moving south due to drought are increasingly finding themselves in conflict with village communities that have expanded their fields. Site-specific conflicts, such as between oil companies and local communities, further compound the situation, as resource use often causes health and economic problems for locals.

Political situation and challenges

The political situation in Nigeria is also tense. President Bola Tinubu, who was elected in February 2023, has not yet taken effective measures to improve the security situation. Voter turnout was a historic low of just 29%. The multitude of crises, including economic challenges such as the devaluation of the naira and falling oil production, have further exacerbated the security situation, as bpb.de notes.

The government is under pressure to take strategic action against the violence, but implementation remains questionable. As ISWAP and gangs continue to spread in the northwest, security forces are often overwhelmed. A lack of effective strategies to address these challenges could further destabilize the situation and put more innocent people at risk.