Foreign Herders Behind Farmer Killings in Benue and Plateau — Defense Headquarters

The Nigerian Defense Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the recent wave of violent attacks and killings in farming communities across Plateau, Benue, and other parts of Nigeria to foreign herders, who are allegedly exploiting porous borders and regional agreements to enter the country.

This revelation was made on Thursday by Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, Director of Defense Media Operations, during a press briefing in Abuja in response to growing inquiries from journalists about the identity of armed herders behind repeated attacks on rural towns.

“Most of the violence and incessant killings you are hearing in some parts of this country are perpetrated by those who find their way into the country through our porous borders,” Kangye said.

The comments come on the heels of a statement by Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, who claimed that the assailants were non-Nigerian herders entering the country under the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of livestock and persons.

Kangye corroborated this view, noting that while the Hausa language is widely spoken across West and Central Africa, there are distinctive accents, dialects, and appearances that allow Nigerian forces to differentiate between nationals and foreigners.

“Hausa spoken in Nigeria differs from that spoken in Mali, Ghana, or the Central African Republic. Even the hair texture and physical features often indicate that these individuals are not Nigerians,” he explained.

“When we arrest some of these herders and terrorists, even their appearance and the way they speak make it obvious that they are foreigners.”

He further noted that while some Nigerian herders are involved in disputes—particularly over grazing on farmlands—the most brutal attacks are largely carried out by foreign armed groups, often masquerading as herders. 

Maj.-Gen. Kangye emphasized the need for joint inter-agency collaboration, including immigration and border control services, to track, identify, and regulate foreign entries into Nigeria.

“We must, as a nation, rise up together with other agencies responsible for border management to ensure that those who enter Nigeria are accounted for,” he said.
“That’s why we emphasize working in a joint environment to address national insecurity.”

The military’s latest statement underscores growing concern over regional migration abuses, transnational terrorism, and the link between foreign militant herders and rural insecurity in Nigeria.

Thousands have been displaced, and hundreds killed in recent attacks on villages, particularly in Benue and Plateau States, with survivors calling for greater protection, stronger border security, and policy reforms on regional livestock movement.