By Idowu Adebomi, Ado Ekiti
The Presiding Bishop of the Old Catholic Apostolic Church Nigeria and President of African Old Catholic Churches, Most Rev. Oluwaseun Raphael Fagbohun, has raised alarm over what he described as a worsening humanitarian and security crisis in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, urging the Federal Government to launch an urgent investigation.
Fagbohun, a retired pioneer chaplain of the Nigeria Police Force, expressed deep concern over the scale of killings, displacement and persistent insecurity in the area, warning that the violence may be driven not only by religious or communal tensions but also by economic interests linked to land and mineral resources.
Kwande LGA has in recent years witnessed repeated attacks allegedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen, alongside growing reports of illegal mining activities involving foreign nationals.
The twin challenges, local stakeholders say, have turned the area into one of Benue State’s most volatile security flashpoints.
Available reports indicate that renewed attacks were recorded in late 2025 and early 2026, particularly in communities across the Mkomon district and the Jato-Aka axis.
Dozens of residents were also reportedly killed during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Several wards, including Yaav, Mbaikyor, Liev, Kumakwagh and Mbadura, were allegedly overrun by armed attackers, forcing many residents to flee to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
There are also reports of ambushes on market days and attacks that claimed the lives of security personnel deployed to protect vulnerable communities.
The Benue State Government has previously confirmed the presence of gold and other minerals in commercial quantities in parts of Kwande and had imposed a temporary ban on mining activities amid rising insecurity.
However, despite the restriction, reports persist that illegal mining continues in remote communities, allegedly involving foreign nationals working with local collaborators.
Speaking with journalists, Bishop Fagbohun alleged that economic interests tied to mineral exploitation may be fuelling the violence, claiming that armed groups operate around some mining locations while indigenous residents are effectively barred from accessing their ancestral lands due to fear and attacks.
He called on federal authorities to thoroughly investigate the situation, including allegations of external sponsorship of armed groups, stressing that the crisis in Kwande may be as economically motivated as it is security-related.