Former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, has sparked intense national debate after calling on the United States of America to launch air assaults in Benue State over what he described as the overwhelming presence of armed herdsmen terrorising farming communities.
Aondoakaa made the startling call over the weekend in Makurdi while speaking at a high-level consultation dinner convened for political stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the former justice minister, armed herdsmen currently dominate more than 15 out of Benue State’s 23 Local Government Areas, subjecting residents to relentless violence under the present administration. He lamented that entire communities have been forced off their ancestral lands, leaving thousands displaced and struggling to survive.
He said the sustained attacks have driven women and children into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps scattered across the state, where they are enduring harsh and inhumane living conditions.
“There are terrorists in Benue State. US airstrikes should have started here before going to Sokoto. These airstrikes are long overdue in Benue.
“Those who came to Benue under the guise of grazing but have taken up arms against indigenes, destroyed livelihoods, displaced communities, and occupied ancestral lands are terrorists.”
Aondoakaa warned that several local government areas have been completely overrun, plunging residents into fear, hunger and uncertainty. He openly expressed disappointment at what he described as the inadequate response of the Benue State Government to the deepening crisis.
Insisting that the scale of the violence has gone beyond local containment, the senior advocate argued that decisive international intervention including US airstrikes is required to confront the threat directly and decisively.
He further called on the state government to urgently strengthen its local security framework and deploy every available resource to reclaim occupied territories and restore peace.
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The former minister, who is seeking the governorship ticket to succeed Governor Hyacinth Alia, pledged that security would be his top priority if elected. He stressed the need for unity, cooperation and collective resolve among political leaders, regardless of party affiliation, to end the bloodshed.
Aondoakaa also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity nationwide, urging sustained federal action to prevent further devastation in Benue State.
Reaffirming his ambition to govern the state, he vowed to pursue policies that would guarantee the safety, dignity and prosperity of Benue residents.
He concluded by condemning recent violent incidents across the state, including the reported killing of more than 200 people in Yelewata community, describing the attacks as unacceptable and a grim reminder of the urgent need for action.