A Professor of Sociology and former Head of Department at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM), Prof. Comfort Ugbem-Onah, has called on governments at all levels to adopt more proactive measures in addressing the lingering security challenges in Benue State.
Prof. Ugbem-Onah made this call on Tuesday while delivering a lecture at the 2nd Faculty Seminar Series held at the Faculty of Social Sciences Hall, MOAUM. Delivering a paper titled “Resilience from Below: Security and Adaptive Strategies of Smallholder Farmers in Conflict-Affected Areas in Benue State, Nigeria,” she drew on extensive fieldwork conducted in Katsina-Ala, Naka, and Agatu Local Government Areas.
The former Head of Department maintained that for Benue State to retain its reputation as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” government must adopt stronger and more proactive security measures. “Benue State occupies a unique and paradoxical position in the Nigerian imagination. It is simultaneously celebrated as the ‘Food Basket of the Nation’ and lamented as one of the country’s most conflict-ravaged regions,” she said.
She noted that this duality raises a critical question: how communities continue to produce food, sustain livelihoods, and maintain social cohesion when the state is unable to guarantee basic security.
Among the measures she recommended was the establishment of permanent security posts in high-risk areas, which she said would help reduce or prevent repeated attacks on farming communities. She also advocated for the training, equipping, and proper supervision of community vigilante groups, with clear legal backing to enable them to operate effectively.
Prof. Ugbem-Onah further called for the full implementation of policies such as the state’s anti-open grazing law, noting that enforcing the law would encourage ranching and reduce conflicts. According to her, laws implemented without viable alternatives only deepen grievances.
She emphasized the importance of women in peacebuilding and security processes, stressing that they should be included in dialogue and decision-making structures. “Everyone has a role to play; it is time to make that role visible at decision-making tables,” she said.
The Chairperson of the event, Prof. Member George-Genyi, in her welcome address, expressed delight at being part of the academic exercise, describing it as a valuable platform for knowledge sharing. She commended the organizers and described the topic as apt and timely, noting that insecurity has significantly reduced farming activities in the state.
In his remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Benjamin Ahule, expressed satisfaction with the success of the lecture series and thanked staff and students for their active participation. He urged students to continue engaging in such academic programs, noting that they help develop research, writing, and presentation skills.
Earlier, the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Iveren Ugande, encouraged staff and students to use the platform to share their views and showcase their fieldwork. She also urged more lecturers within the faculty to indicate interest in presenting at future seminar series.
