The Forum of Ayatutu Professors (FAP) in Benue State has condemned the recent killings in Turan district of Kwande Local Government Area, describing the March 6 attack on Mbaav and surrounding villages as “abhorrent and totally unacceptable.”

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees and Council of Management, Prof. Tor Joe Iorapuu, and Secretary, Prof. Simon Verlumun Irtwange, the forum said the persistent attacks had resulted in “massive annihilation, loss of properties and complete dislocation of humble people struggling to live their daily lives.”
The professors warned that the attackers were deliberately targeting communities “to instill fear and forcefully displace the people from their ancestral lands.”

“The objective of the enemy is to humiliate, cause intense fear and suffering, uproot and disorganize communities, and forcefully occupy their spaces,” the statement said.

FAP expressed concern that Nigeria’s military, which has assisted other countries to overcome civil wars and insurgencies, appeared overwhelmed by security challenges at home. The forum lamented that soldiers were being killed regularly without sufficient urgency from authorities, accusing the Federal Government of poorly handling what it described as prolonged and organized attacks in Benue and other parts of the country.

The group warned that the situation “begins to suggest government conspiracy rather than failure,” citing remarks attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who allegedly said the government knew the identities and locations of terrorists but had not acted decisively.

FAP also questioned the effectiveness of the numerous security formations stationed in Benue State if communities under attack were unable to benefit from their presence.

The forum called on the Federal Government to allow states to institutionalize their own police systems and ensure genuine autonomy for local governments as part of structural reforms needed to tackle insecurity.

It aligned with the Tiv paramount ruler, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, who called for immediate airstrikes against the attackers, insisting that citizens must feel the impact of the Nigerian Air Force and other military formations deployed in the state.

The professors sympathized with victims of the attacks in Mbaav and other Turan communities and commended Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia for his prompt response to the crisis. They also urged the governor to strengthen vigilance in communities around the Turan axis following reports of suspicious movements by armed groups near border areas such as Jato Aka.

FAP expressed concern over the rising number of internally displaced persons in Turan and across Benue State, insisting that “displaced residents must be returned unconditionally to their ancestral homes.”

The forum further raised alarm over a suspected link between insecurity and illegal mining activities in the area, calling for an immediate halt to all illegal mining operations while urging citizens to remain vigilant and united in the face of ongoing security challenges.