Operation Zenda accused of triggering tension after killing 200 cattle in Benue clearance operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Fresh concerns have emerged over the activities of Operation Zenda, following a reported clearance operation in communities around Ayilamo in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, where scores of cattle belonging to Fulani herders were allegedly killed or wounded.
Sources reliably told Zagazola Makama, that the incident occurred at about 4 a.m. on Aug. 26 in Azege and Ayimbe communities, close to Ayilamo and bordering Akhor Community in Guma Local Government Area.
Report initially indicated that local militias from the affected communities, allegedly armed with AK-47 rifles, had attacked a herders’ camp and slaughtered about 200 cattle.
However, preliminary investigations later indicated that the livestock were killed
during clearance operation reportedly conducted by personnel of Operation Zenda in Azege and Ayimbe.
Several cattle were allegedly killed, while others were evacuated from the area. Some of the animals reportedly sustained severe machete wounds during the operation.
The development subsequently created tension in the area, with security concerns heightened over the possibility of retaliatory attacks between the affected communities and herders.
Sources further stated that some of the herders voluntarily distributed the carcasses of cattle that could not be evacuated to residents of Akhor Community free of charge, after efforts to transport the meat to the city for sale proved impracticable.
Following the incident, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) reportedly conducted fighting patrols to Akhor and Iordey communities to dominate the area, stabilize the situation and prevent possible reprisal attacks.
Residents in the affected communities were said to be living in fear following the development, amid concerns that similar incidents could trigger renewed violence and attacks.
Security sources also raised concerns over what they described as a recurring pattern in which cattle are reportedly killed or butchered during clearance operations by Operation Zenda personnel and the meat subsequently evacuated or distributed.
The sources warned that such actions could further inflame tensions and potentially create conditions for reprisal attacks and sustained circle of violence.
The sources said that the development is even more disturbing against the backdrop of the already fragile relationship between farming communities and herders in parts of Benue.
“Rather than allowing an operation designed to restore peace to become another source of grievance, havoc and destruction. Security personnel must exercise maximum professionalism and restraint, particularly in communities where even a single incident can quickly fuel anger and provoke reprisals.
It is therefore difficult to understand why an operation intended to secure communities should leave behind an atmosphere of fear and resentment. Security agencies must understand that every dead animal, destroyed property or perceived injustice can become a rallying point for revenge, especially in an environment already saturated with suspicion.
The development has therefore prompted calls for closer scrutiny and investigation of the activities and operational procedures of Operation Zenda by the concerned relevant authorities, particularly their role in the recent attack against herders in their hamlets, leaving hundreds of livestock killed.
The government were also urged to ensure that security operations are conducted in a manner that protects civilians, prevents escalation and strengthens confidence among communities and herders in the affected areas.
Operation Zenda and other security formations operating in the state must therefore be reminded that their legitimacy depends not only on confronting armed threats but also on maintaining the confidence of the communities they are deployed to protect.
Note that Operation Zenda is a Benue State security operation/task force established to tackle insecurity, particularly attacks, communal violence, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.
It operates as part of the state’s broader security architecture and involves personnel drawn from security agencies. Its activities can include patrols, clearance operations, arrests and interventions in conflict-prone communities.
