Ex-Army Chief Adeosun Links Middle Belt Insecurity to Weak Governance, Calls for Land Reform and Community-Based Security Solutions
Former Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Army, Lt Col Lamidi Adeosun (retd.), has identified weak governance as the primary cause and accelerator of insecurity challenges in Benue, Plateau, and other states within Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
Adeosun made these remarks on Wednesday while delivering the inaugural distinguished lecture at the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Lagos State University. The lecture was themed: “Strategies for Tackling Insecurity in the Middle Belt: An Insider’s Perspective.”
He explained that weak governance is evident in the inability of government institutions to effectively manage ethnic and communal tensions, regulate land and resource use, and respond impartially and promptly to outbreaks of violence.
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“The insecurity crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is a stark indictment of leadership failures, poor governance, and inadequate state responsiveness in a region that should otherwise be a hub for national unity and agricultural prosperity,” Adeosun stated.
Highlighting land and natural resource disputes, especially between indigenous communities and nomadic pastoralists, Adeosun called for urgent reform or full implementation of clear land use policies, particularly the Land Use Act of 1978, which vests land ownership authority with state governments.
He noted, “The Middle Belt is historically characterized by ethnic diversity, religious pluralism, and socio-political complexity. While these traits are often seen as strengths, they have also become flashpoints for violent conflicts and insecurity.”
Adeosun underscored that weak governance fuels these conflicts through corruption, institutional incapacity, lack of political will, poor law enforcement, and inadequate policy responses — all contributing to the instability engulfing the region.
He stressed that the government’s failure to fairly and decisively address recurring attacks has created a perception of bias, encouraging armed groups and eroding public trust in state authority.
“In states such as Plateau and Benue, ethno-religious violence has persisted for decades. The government’s failure to mediate conflicts fairly, prosecute offenders, and implement inclusive policies has resulted in widespread disillusionment and cycles of retaliatory violence,” he said.
Adeosun explained how the centralization of land ownership under the Land Use Act has not translated into effective management of land disputes. This failure has left a vacuum exploited by armed groups who resort to violence to assert territorial claims. The herder-farmer clashes in Benue and Nasarawa States exemplify this breakdown, as the lack of enforceable grazing laws has sparked violent confrontations.
Beyond weak governance, he identified systemic corruption, ethno-religious tensions, identity politics, violent competition over land and resources, and manipulation by political elites as compounding factors behind insecurity in the Middle Belt.
Adeosun further highlighted corruption within the security sector as a critical dimension of weak governance. Practices such as bribery, nepotism, and selective security force deployment hamper proactive threat responses.
“There have been numerous accusations from Middle Belt communities that security agencies collude with attackers or neglect ongoing violence. For instance, during the 2018 massacre in Benue State, security forces reportedly received advance warning but failed to act. This not only allows violence to persist but also undermines the state’s legitimacy,” he said.
He added that in the absence of a strong state presence, non-state actors — including vigilante groups, ethnic militias, and criminal gangs — have emerged as alternative providers of security and justice. While some were initially formed to protect communities, many have evolved into violent entities involved in criminality, extortion, and political manipulation.
Adeosun cited the rise of Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, in Benue State as an example of how weak governance enables warlords to gain influence, recruit unemployed youths, and operate parallel authority structures.
Downplaying the sole effectiveness of traditional security agencies in curbing violence, Adeosun recommended strengthening community-based security models such as Amotekun in the South-West, institutionalizing good governance, implementing land reforms, resolving resource-based conflicts, modernizing livestock farming through ranching, and dismantling political elite manipulation.
“These strategies mark a clear departure from externally imposed, top-down security approaches that overlook the Middle Belt’s complex socio-cultural and historical realities. Prioritizing local agency, inclusive governance, and strategic leadership offers a sustainable path toward peacebuilding and resilience,” Adeosun concluded.
The lecture, hosted by Prof Adewumi Falode, Director of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, LASU, was attended by representatives of the university’s leadership, including Dean of the Postgraduate School, Prof Ibrahim Olateju, former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof Olumuyiwa Noah, serving Nigerian Army officers, and others.
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