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A wave of deadly attacks linked to armed Fulani herdsmen has claimed the lives of over 200 Nigerians since March 2025, with Plateau and Benue states emerging as epicenters of violence.
While authorities and analysts have long framed the conflict as ethno-religious strife, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has challenged this narrative, asserting the killings are part of a premeditated genocide to control natural resources, not spontaneous communal clashes.
April 13 (Palm Sunday): Suspected herdsmen raided Zike village in Bassa LGA, killing 56 Christians, including 15 children, and displacing 2,000 residents. Survivors reported that homes were burnt and livestock stolen.
April 2: Simultaneous attacks on 15 villages in Bokkos LGA left 56 dead and 28 injured. Over 5,000 villagers fled to makeshift camps .
March 27:
Twelve mourners were slaughtered during a funeral procession in Ruwi village .
April 20:
At least 56 villagers died in overnight attacks in Ukum and Logo LGAs. Witnesses described assailants chanting slogans as they torched homes.
March 28–31:
A four-day siege on Olena village left dozens dead, with survivors alleging herdsmen destroyed crops and seized farmland.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Assertion:
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) condemned federal and state responses, arguing the violence is a calculated campaign to displace communities and exploit mineral-rich lands. She stressed that the killings in the Plateau, are not about religion or ethnicity, but a premeditated genocide to seize ancestral lands brimming with lithium, tin and other treasures.
The assertion was part of a post she made on her Facebook wall.
Her exact words: “An unpopular opinion on the Plateau killings: it’s a genocide, like many others, masked as an ethnic or religious attack but likely sponsored by capitalists hungry for mineral extraction and resource control.
“Thus, the killings stand condemned and we urge that those culpable should be brought to justice.
“However, to stop this menace, Government must deploy a multi-pronged approach to address the economic, legal , security and social factors.”
Humanitarian Crisis and Survivors’ Trauma
Over 7,000 displaced Nigerians now languish in overcrowded camps, with limited access to food and medicine.
In Plateau state seven-year-old Nenche Steven survived an attack that killed his family.
“They cut off my mother’s arms and slit my siblings’ throats,” he told aid workers .
Sources at the Jos University Teaching Hospital reported treating victims for machete wounds and gunshots, with many succumbing to infections due to inadequate care .
Political Reactions and International Scrutiny
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang echoed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s concerns, labeling the violence “systematic annihilation.” Benue officials accused security forces of complicity, citing delayed responses to distress calls .
However, the Nigerian Army has denied wrongdoing, claiming troops are “overstretched” combating terrorism and banditry.
However, the U.S. Congress is reviewing a motion to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for human rights violations, citing unchecked killings and forced displacements .
Root Causes: Climate, Resources, or Collusion?
While climate-driven migration and desertification have historically fueled herder-farmer tensions, Akpoti-Uduaghan and other activists argue greed, not climate, drives recent violence. “Lithium deposits in Plateau and Benue are global hotspots for mining investors.
These attacks clear villages for exploitation,” said environmental rights group EcoWatch .
Survivors and lawmakers demand an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into alleged genocide.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has yet to declare a state of emergency or halt mining licenses in conflict zones.
As debates over motives rage, grieving communities plead for safety.
“We buried 56 bodies today. When will our lives matter?” asked a Zike village elder .
