With deep sorrow and profound concern, I, Engr. Dr. Roseline Ada Chenge (FNSE), former Managing Director of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority and former Governorship Aspirant in Benue State, speak out against the ongoing wave of violence carried out by criminal elements and armed groups, including individuals who have entered Nigeria without proper documentation. These persistent attacks have claimed countless innocent lives, displaced thousands of women and children, and devastated entire communities.
I call upon His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the Executive Governor of Benue State, to take urgent and decisive action to protect the lives and properties of the people who entrusted him with their mandate.
As both a Reverend Father and the Chief Security Officer of the state, your foremost responsibility is to protect lives—not to suppress dissent or dismiss those who speak out against these killings. At the current rate, towns like Naka—less than an hour from the state capital—have become unsafe. If nothing changes, what will be the fate of Makurdi in two years?
I am heartbroken by the brutal killings of innocent women and children. These are not mere farmer-herder conflicts; they are acts of terror committed by armed criminals and transnational groups exploiting the weaknesses in our border security. Even former President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged that some of the perpetrators are non-Nigerians who have entered the country without proper authorization.
Since 2013, many members of the Nigerian military have died in this unconventional conflict. This is unacceptable. The Nigerian Army has an esteemed legacy, from World War II to peacekeeping missions worldwide, and should not bear the full burden of this internal crisis.
This insurgency is not a conventional war. Therefore, coordinated surveillance and intelligence-driven security using modern technology is urgently required. Based on my extensive travel across Benue and Nigeria, I can affirm that the porous northern borders, which link to countries facing their own economic and security challenges, remain a major vulnerability.
I urge greater collaboration and information sharing among security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Nigerian Army, Air Force, and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
On behalf of Benue women, I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for deploying the Chief of Army Staff to Benue. Your Excellency, the introduction of Forest Guards is a laudable initiative. However, I strongly recommend that traditional rulers be central to the recruitment process.
These community leaders are deeply rooted in their local environments and possess the cultural insight and moral authority to ensure transparency and accountability. Their involvement would help select individuals of high integrity from within the communities, fostering trust and ownership while aligning efforts with local realities and environmental priorities.
This structure would also allow the Nigerian Army to refocus on its core mandate, protecting our national borders and preparing for any external threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty.
In conclusion, no law-abiding citizen should live in fear. All those responsible for these violent crimes must be brought to justice. I stand with the people of Benue in demanding justice for the over 50,000 lives lost since 2012. Their deaths must not be in vain.
Engr. Dr. Roseline Ada Chenge (FNSE)
Former Managing Director, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority
Former Governorship Aspirant, Benue State
Well spoken. Thank you ma for speaking for the people of Benue state