Mkar, Benue State – The Vice Chancellor of the University of Mkar, Professor Zacharys Gundu, has called on governments at all levels, civil society organizations, and patriotic individuals to take urgent action in dislodging armed invaders occupying ancestral lands across North Central Nigeria.
He made the call during the university's 20th anniversary celebration and security roundtable held on Friday in Mkar, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
Prof. Gundu stressed that lasting peace and the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) can only be achieved through deliberate efforts to reclaim occupied territories and provide adequate support and compensation for affected communities.
“Insecurity in the North Central is no longer about access to water or grazing land. It has evolved into a major internal and international crisis,” he warned. “It is thriving because some people are profiting from it, making resolution more difficult.”
He lamented the inability of security forces to distinguish between banditry, terrorism, and herder-farmer clashes in the region, and decried the lack of accountability for ongoing violence.
“There is no clear distinction anymore between herdsmen, bandits, and Boko Haram in this region. Sadly, no one is being held responsible for the bloodshed,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala, Most Rev. Isaac Dugu, lauded the university’s contributions to the educational advancement of Benue State and Nigeria at large.
He emphasized that confronting insecurity must be a shared responsibility, not left to government alone.
“We must come together to defeat the monster of insecurity. This gathering is a demonstration of our civic commitment to national peace and development,” the bishop stated. “Government’s failure to protect lives and property has made community-led dialogue and action even more necessary.”
The event brought together stakeholders in security, education, and civil society to discuss pathways to peace and the restoration of stability in the troubled region.
