Retired Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun, former Chief of Policy and Plans in the Nigerian Army, has attributed the persistent insecurity in Benue, Plateau, and other Middle Belt states to weak governance and institutional failure.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking on Wednesday at the inaugural Distinguished Lecture of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), themed “Strategies for Tackling Insecurity in the Middle Belt: An Insider’s Perspective,” Adeosun said governance failures were at the heart of the region’s insecurity crisis.

According to him, poor governance is evident in the state’s inability to manage communal and ethnic tensions, regulate land and resource use, and respond swiftly and impartially to outbreaks of violence.

“Insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt reflects a damning failure of leadership, governance, and state responsiveness in a region that should otherwise serve as a bedrock of national unity and agricultural prosperity,” he said.

Adeosun identified competition over land and natural resources—particularly between indigenous communities and nomadic pastoralists—as a key driver of the conflict. He called for urgent reforms or proper implementation of the 1978 Land Use Act, which vests land ownership in state governments, to reduce disputes.

He noted: “The Middle Belt’s ethnic diversity and religious pluralism, while historically rich, have become flashpoints for violence. Among various triggers, weak governance remains the central catalyst.”

He listed manifestations of poor governance to include corruption, weak institutions, poor law enforcement, lack of political will, and incoherent policy responses—all of which contribute to instability.

Adeosun warned that the state’s failure to respond equitably to recurring violence has fueled public distrust and emboldened armed groups.

“In Benue and Plateau, ethno-religious violence has lingered for decades due to the government’s inability to fairly mediate conflicts, prosecute offenders, or implement inclusive policies. This has led to public disillusionment and cycles of reprisal attacks,” he said.

He decried the misuse of the Land Use Act, noting that despite its centralisation of land ownership, most state governments have failed to manage land disputes. He said this vacuum has enabled armed groups to exploit violence to assert territorial dominance—citing recurring herder-farmer clashes in Benue and Nasarawa as examples.

The former Army chief also pointed to systemic corruption, especially within the security sector, as a driver of insecurity. He said corrupt practices such as bribery, nepotism, and biased deployment have weakened state responses.

“In some instances, security forces have been accused of complicity or inaction. During the 2018 Benue massacre, there were reports that security agencies were forewarned but failed to act. This undermines state legitimacy and allows violence to thrive,” he said.

Adeosun warned that the vacuum created by a weak state has allowed non-state actors—including militias, vigilantes, and criminal gangs—to assume the role of security providers. He cited the rise of Benue warlord Terwase Akwaza (a.k.a. Gana) as an example of how poor governance enables violent actors to gain power and legitimacy, particularly by exploiting unemployed youths and building alternative systems of control.

Rejecting reliance on conventional, top-down military responses, Adeosun advocated for grassroots-oriented strategies. These include strengthening local security outfits like Amotekun in the South-West, institutionalising good governance, undertaking land and resource reforms, embracing ranching, and curbing elite political manipulation.

“Such approaches depart from externally imposed security models that ignore the Middle Belt’s complex historical and sociocultural realities,” he said. “By embracing local agency, inclusive governance, and strategic leadership, we can build a path to sustainable peace.”

The lecture was hosted by Prof Adewumi Falode, Director of the LASU Centre for Peace and Security Studies, and attended by notable figures including Prof Ibrahim Olateju (representing Vice-Chancellor Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello), former Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof Olumuyiwa Noah, and serving officers of the Nigerian Army.

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