Benue leaders seek US, UK, EU’s intervention over killings, displacement

Benue Crisis: Coalition Appeals to US, UK, EU for Emergency Asylum, Citing Ethnic Cleansing

A coalition made up of professionals, civil society organizations, and religious leaders from Benue State has formally appealed to the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union for emergency asylum and protected status for displaced persons in the state.

During a press conference held in Makurdi, the group launched a global advocacy campaign aimed at highlighting the deepening humanitarian crisis in Benue and calling for international justice for victims. They accused armed groups of carrying out ongoing ethnic cleansing, which has led to the loss of more than 6,000 lives over the past decade. Alarmingly, over 200 people were reportedly killed in the first half of 2024 alone.

The coalition pointed to the recent massacre in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area—where more than 200 villagers were said to have been slaughtered—as a devastating example of the relentless and unaddressed violence.

Describing the attacks as “systematic, sustained, and strategic,” the group argued that the goal appears to be not only the displacement but also the replacement of indigenous populations. They insist the crisis meets the legal and moral grounds for international protection under frameworks such as the 1951 Refugee Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Kampala Convention.

In response to the growing displacement, Christian Aid Nigeria, in partnership with the Start Fund Network, has launched a ₦500 million emergency response initiative to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue.

As part of this effort, each affected household will receive a direct cash transfer of ₦109,000. To ensure accountability and secure distribution, Christian Aid has facilitated the opening of personal bank accounts for all beneficiaries.