Former Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Army, Lt Col Lamidi Adeosun (retd.), has identified violent contestation over land and natural resources, worsened by weak governance, as a major driver of the persistent insecurity in Benue, Plateau and other states within the Middle Belt.
Adeosun stated this on Wednesday while delivering the first distinguished lecture of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Lagos State University, themed: “Strategies for Tackling Insecurity in the Middle Belt: An Insider’s Perspective.”
He said the state’s failure to reform or enforce clear land use policies — particularly the Land Use Act of 1978, which places land ownership in the hands of state governments — has created a vacuum exploited by armed groups.
“The Middle Belt is historically marked by ethnic diversity, religious pluralism, and socio-political complexity. While these characteristics are often celebrated, they have also become flashpoints for violent conflicts and insecurity,” he said.
“Among the multiple factors fuelling these conflicts, weak governance stands out as both a root cause and a catalyst for escalating insecurity.”
Adeosun said weak governance is reflected in the failure of institutions to resolve ethnic and communal tensions, regulate land use effectively, and respond to violence swiftly and impartially.
“Weak governance manifests through corruption, institutional incapacity, lack of political will, poor law enforcement, and inadequate policy responses, each of which contributes significantly to the instability plaguing the region,” he added.
He further described the crisis of insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt as “a sobering indictment of the failures of leadership, governance, and state responsiveness in a region that should otherwise serve as a fulcrum of national unity and agricultural prosperity.”
According to the ex army boss, the inability of the government to address recurrent attacks and mediate conflicts fairly continues to breed distrust and embolden criminal elements.
“In states like Plateau and Benue, ethno-religious violence has been recurrent for decades. The inability of the government to mediate conflicts fairly, prosecute perpetrators, and implement inclusive policies has led to widespread disillusionment and retaliatory violence,” Adeosun said.
“Weak governance manifests in the government’s inability to reform or implement clear land use policies. The Land Use Act of 1978 centralises land ownership in the hands of state governors, yet most states have failed to effectively manage land disputes.
“This vacuum has been exploited by armed groups who use violence to assert territorial claims. The recurring herder-farmer clashes in Benue and Nasarawa States exemplify this failure, where the absence of favourable and fair enforceable grazing laws has led to violent confrontations.”
He also noted that systemic corruption, especially within the security sector, has further compounded the situation.
“Another dimension of weak governance is systemic corruption, particularly within the security sector. Corrupt practices such as bribery, nepotism, and selective deployment of security forces hinder proactive responses to threats,” he said.
“In many instances, communities in the Middle Belt have accused security agencies of collusion with attackers or turning a blind eye to ongoing violence. For example, during the 2018 massacre in Benue State, reports surfaced of security forces being alerted in advance but failing to intervene. This not only allows violence to fester but also undermines the legitimacy of the state.”
He warned that in the absence of effective state presence, non-state actors have taken over the role of providing security and justice.
“In the vacuum left by a weak state, non-state actors such as vigilante groups, ethnic militias, and criminal gangs have emerged as alternative sources of security and justice,” he said.
“While some were initially formed to protect local communities, many have evolved into violent groups engaged in criminality, extortion, and political manipulation.
“The rise of Terwase Akwaza, alias Gana, in Benue State illustrates how weak governance allows warlords to gain power, recruit unemployed youth, and operate parallel structures of authority. These groups often thrive in environments where the state is either absent or compromised.”
Offering possible solutions, Adeosun recommended strengthening community-based security architectures such as Amotekun in the South-West, institutionalising good governance, land and resource-based conflict resolution, regulating and modernising livestock farming through ranching, and ending elite political manipulation.
“They present a clear departure from externally imposed, top-down security models that ignore the intricate socio-cultural and historical realities of the Middle Belt,” he said.
“By prioritising local agency, inclusive governance, and strategic leadership, these approaches offer a sustainable roadmap for peacebuilding and resilience.”
The lecture was hosted by the Director, Centre for Peace and Security Studies, LASU, Prof Adewumi Falode, and attended by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, who was represented by the Dean of Postgraduate School, Prof Ibrahim Olateju; former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof Olumuyiwa Noah; serving officers of the Nigerian Army, among others.
