HURIWA Warns Of Looming Ethnic War Over Fulani Herdsmen Killings, Condemns Benue Massacre

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a dire warning, stating that Nigeria faces an imminent risk of widespread ethnic conflict if the Federal Government fails to immediately address the escalating violence perpetrated by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen.

The organisation’s statement comes in the wake of a brutal massacre in Benue State where over 200 residents were reportedly killed in attacks on Tiv-speaking communities.

HURIWA, a prominent civil rights advocacy group, released a press statement Sunday, citing reports of attacks on Yelewata and Daudu communities in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The group alleges that the victims, including women, children, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and even security personnel, were targeted despite prior intelligence shared with authorities.

“The President is playing with fire,” HURIWA stated, accusing security chiefs and the National Security Advisor of gross incompetence and complicity due to their failure to prevent these repeated mass killings.

The group claims that communities have repeatedly provided intelligence about impending attacks, only to be ignored by security forces.

HURIWA places blame squarely on the Inspector-General of Police and the military high command, criticising the alleged lack of adequate security deployment, training, and weaponry in affected communities.

The group also lamented the government’s failure to secure ungoverned spaces, particularly in states like Benue which have seen years of deadly invasions.

“It is heartbreaking that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief, and his security chiefs allowed families, including women and toddlers, to be slaughtered and burnt alive in their homes and makeshift shelters.

“This is a crime against humanity,” HURIWA stated. The group is urging civil society organisations to compile evidence of atrocities and file petitions with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, seeking the prosecution of those in power for alleged failures to protect Nigerian citizens.

HURIWA further alleges that the previous administration’s failure to disarm Fulani militias contributed to the worsening security situation, accusing them of stockpiling weapons.

The group warned that if the government continues to “shield” Fulani terrorists and fails to ensure justice, other ethnic groups in Nigeria may resort to self-defence, potentially triggering a conflict similar to the Central African Republic’s civil war.

Drawing a comparison, HURIWA highlighted the breakdown of order in the Central African Republic after unresolved tensions and armed invasions, where the coup by François Bozizé and insurgencies by Seleka rebels and anti-Balaka militias spiralled into sectarian violence, resulting in thousands of deaths and mass displacement.

HURIWA further pointed to a viral video allegedly showing Zamfara State government officials and Nigerian Army officers engaged in peace talks with wanted terrorist masterminds, calling it an example of “state complicity.”

HURIWA demanded that President Tinubu immediately sack and replace his security chiefs and the National Security Adviser with competent professionals, given a firm mandate and timeline to eradicate terrorism and restore security.

The group insisted that only a decisive and transparent approach can prevent further bloodshed and safeguard the nation’s unity.