The Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) has condemned the incessant attacks and killings by suspected armed herdsmen in Benue and Plateau States and other parts of the country.
Salako Kayode, Publicity Secretary, RSM, made the condemnation in a statement he issued on behal of the group on Tuesday.
According to him, mass
killings across the country show that the President Bola Tinubu APC-led government cannot guarantee security and peace in Nigeria
“We commiserate with the people. It is time to proffer real solutions.
“The Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) vehemently condemns the relentless and barbaric attacks perpetrated by armed herdsmen in Benue and Plateau States and elsewhere in the country.
“These assaults have claimed hundreds of lives, destroyed entire communities, and displaced thousands of innocent people.
“These acts of violence—marked by ethnic cleansing, land grabbing, and systematic terror—are a stark manifestation of the failure of the capitalist state to protect its citizens and address the root causes of conflict.
“We stand in unwavering solidarity with the victims, their families, and the affected communities, sharing in their grief and outrage over these preventable atrocities.
“Recent attacks in Otukpo, Benue State, where at least 11 people were reportedly killed and homes razed, and the ongoing violence in Plateau State, where more than 150 people have been killed in the last two weeks (as of mid-April 2025), expose the complicity and inaction of the Nigerian government.
“Despite repeated calls for justice, the perpetrators operate with impunity—emboldened by the absence of decisive action from security agencies and the federal government’s tacit support for policies that worsen these conflicts, such as the promotion of cattle ranches against community wishes.
“We commiserate with the people of Benue and Plateau—especially working-class farmers, women, children, and the elderly—who bear the brunt of this violence.
“The destruction of farmlands, homes, and livelihoods is not merely a security failure, but a deliberate assault on the economic and social fabric of these regions.
“It is aimed at dispossessing indigenous communities and entrenching exploitative control over land and resources.
“The RSM asserts that these attacks are not isolated incidents but symptoms of deeper systemic issues rooted in the capitalist exploitation of land, resources, and labor.
“Tensions between nomadic herders and settled farmers are worsened by the state’s failure to regulate grazing practices, address environmental degradation, and dismantle economic structures that fuel competition over dwindling resources.
“Furthermore, the religious and ethnic dimensions of the violence—with predominantly Muslim herdsmen targeting largely Christian farming communities—reveal the ruling class’s divide-and-rule strategy to maintain its dominance over a fragmented working class,” RSM said.
As a way out, the organisation called for the “establishment of Community-Based Workers’ and Farmers’ Militias Drawing from socialist principles of self-defense.
“We call for the formation of well-regulated, community-led militias to protect villages from attacks.
“The state has proven incapable of ensuring security. These militias must be democratically controlled and accountable to the people, not the ruling elite.
“Land Reform and Nationalization of Grazing Reserves :The government must nationalize land for equitable distribution, prioritizing indigenous farmers and regulating grazing through state-managed reserves.
“This is necessary to address the root causes of land disputes and dismantle the capitalist drive for land grabbing.
“Disarmament of Armed Herdsmen :Security agencies must prioritize the disarmament of all armed herdsmen and ensure the prosecution of those perpetrating violence, to end the prevailing culture of impunity.
“Establishment of a North Central Development Commission : We support calls for a commission to rebuild and rehabilitate affected communities, ensuring economic and social recovery for displaced persons.
“However, such a commission must be democratically controlled by elected representatives of workers, affected community members, youth organizations, and genuine grassroots organizations—not political appointees.
“Mass Mobilization and Nonviolent Resistance
Inspired by the historical traditions of peaceful coexistence, we urge the people of Benue and Plateau to organize affinity groups to sustain protests and strikes in pursuit of justice and systemic change.
“The united power of the masses—across ethnic and religious lines—can compel the state to act.
“We call on human rights organizations and social movements to investigate these attacks as acts of ethnic cleansing and hold the Nigerian government accountable for failing to protect its citizens.
“The RSM calls on the working people of Nigeria to unite against the divisive tactics of the ruling class and reject the capitalist system that perpetuates inequality and violence.
“Only a socialist revolution—driven by the collective power of workers, farmers, and oppressed communities—can dismantle the structures fueling these conflicts and build a society based on justice, equity, and solidarity.
“We pledge our unwavering commitment to supporting the struggles of the people of Benue, Plateau, and all other communities facing violent attacks by armed groups through advocacy, organizing, and mobilizing for revolutionary change.”
(vitalnewsngr.com)
