The Defence Headquarters has linked the recent surge in violent attacks in Benue, Plateau, and other parts of Nigeria to foreign herders who reportedly entered the country through porous borders.

At a press briefing in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, acknowledged that some Nigerian herders were involved but said that most of the violent killings were done by foreigners.

“Note that most of the violent and incessant killings you are hearing in some parts of this country are perpetrated mostly by those who find their way into the porous border of our country,” Kangye said.

The general insisted that “we must together as a nation and rise to ensure we address insecurity and defeat our common enemy”.

According to Major General Kangye, both linguistic and physical evidence suggest many of the attackers are not Nigerian nationals.

“When you hear them speak, you can often tell they are not from here (Nigeria). For example, the Hausa spoken in Nigeria differs from that spoken in Mali, the Central African Republic, or Ghana,” Kangye said.

He further explained that their accent, intonation, and hair texture clearly indicated that they were foreigners.

“When we arrest these herders and terrorists, their speech and even their hair distinguish them from Nigerians. Perhaps only the Shuwa Arabs in Borno State have similar features, but not quite the same,” he added.

Kangye’s comments came amid growing outrage over the incessant herder-farmer clashes, which have left hundreds dead and displaced thousands.

Plateau and Benue states have been experiencing an increase in herdsmen attacks in recent times, and the governors of both states have blamed the attacks on foreigners.

In Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia claimed that many of the perpetrators of violence “are not Nigerians,” suggesting “they speak unfamiliar languages and exhibit foreign traits”.

Similarly, Plateau Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, argued that the attackers “often do not speak any recognised Nigerian language,” deepening speculation about their origin and motive.

After several calls to wade into the incessant killings, President Bola Tinubu declared that “enough is enough” and expressed sorrow, urging Governor Mutfwang to summon the political will to restore peace.

The President also called on community, political, and religious leaders to unite and end retaliatory attacks.