The Tiv Youths Organisation (TYO) has given political figures and government authorities 90 days to stop persistent attacks by armed herdsmen in Nigeria’s Benue State, warning that failure to act could disrupt future election campaigning in the region.
In a statement released on [Date if available, otherwise omit], the TYO, a civil society group representing the Tiv ethnic group, said the prolonged violence has resulted in significant loss of life and displacement of communities. The organisation’s Acting President General, Comrade Patrick Terfa Angbagh, accused authorities of a “failure of leadership and governance,” stating that the blood of Benue citizens should no longer be treated as a mere statistic.
The ultimatum directs a clear message to politicians across all parties and to officials at local, state, and federal levels. Angbagh declared that if killings by herdsmen do not cease within 90 days, no political aspirant should expect to campaign or seek votes in Benue State ahead of the 2027 general elections. He characterised aspiring to office without a commitment to protecting human life as unacceptable, noting that youths in the state are prepared to mobilise peacefully against any move to normalise insecurity for electoral gain.
The statement calls for concrete actions from the Federal Government, including enhanced intelligence gathering, improved security deployment, and greater accountability within security agencies. It also tasks the Benue State Government with moving beyond rhetoric and urges local councils to establish community protection and early warning systems.
This appeal emerges amid longstanding tensions in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where conflicts between nomadic herders and settled farming communities, often over land and resources, have caused recurrent violence. Benue State, with a predominantly Christian population and significant agricultural activity, has frequently been a flashpoint.
TYO reaffirmed its dedication to peaceful advocacy and the protection of Tiv ancestral lands. The group called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society to join demands for urgent intervention. The statement concluded that silence or political exploitation of the crisis will no longer be tolerated, asserting that Benue must not become “a killing field” in the run-up to elections.
The ultimatum places security at the centre of political discourse in Benue, setting a conditional precedent for electoral participation based on tangible improvements in public safety.
