“Sharpen Your Sword Benue People”: Cubana Chief Priest Speaks Out After Over 200 Killed in Benue State Attack

 

The outcry against the practice of open grazing has gained renewed momentum as prominent Nigerian nightlife entrepreneur and socialite, Cubana Chief Priest, joins voices condemning the unchecked activity, especially after a gruesome massacre in Benue State that claimed over 200 lives.

Cubana Chief Priest, widely known for his lavish lifestyle and influence within Nigeria’s entertainment scene, took to his verified Instagram account to express profound anguish and outrage following the recent killings in the Yelewata area of Benue. His message was direct and emotionally charged, as he called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take bold and immediate action against the root cause of the violence.

“My President, make that order now!!! End public grazing. The level of damage done is brutal. This madness has to stop,” he wrote in a message that has since gone viral and sparked widespread public reaction.

The businessman did not merely stop at condemnation. He offered a pointed recommendation that aligns with the stance of many security experts and policy advocates: the adoption of ranching as a safer and more efficient alternative to the archaic method of open grazing. He stressed the urgent need for herders to move their livestock feeding operations away from public and often volatile areas.

“Feed your cattle in your ranches,” he said, pointing out that the preservation of human lives must take precedence over traditional herding practices that frequently spark deadly confrontations between farmers and pastoralists.

The tragic event that prompted Cubana Chief Priest's post took place in Yelewata, a community in Benue State, which has been one of the flashpoints in the long-standing conflict between herders and local farming populations. According to local sources and emergency responders, the death toll from the coordinated attack has surpassed 200, making it one of the deadliest episodes in the region’s recent history.

Eyewitness accounts detail a horrifying scenario of armed men descending on the village, unleashing violence that left men, women, and children dead or severely injured. Entire households were wiped out, while survivors have been left traumatized, displaced, and fearful of future attacks. These attacks are often blamed on nomadic herders who engage in open grazing, leading to deadly confrontations with farming communities over land use and access to water.

Public reaction to the killings has been swift and angry, with hashtags like #EndOpenGrazing and #BenueMassacre trending across social media platforms. Cubana Chief Priest's post has been widely circulated, with many Nigerians applauding his courage for using his platform to address such a critical national issue.

He further urged the people of Benue not to remain passive in the face of recurring violence. In a powerful appeal to self-preservation, he called on residents to remain vigilant and defend themselves if necessary.

“Benue people sharpen your sword. No gree for anybody to kpai you. To defend yourselves no be crime!!!” he declared, invoking a popular Nigerian slang phrase that translates to "Do not allow anyone to kill you."

His rallying cry, while controversial to some, reflects the growing frustration among communities continually caught in the crossfire of herder-farmer violence. As national security continues to dominate political discourse, many believe that influential voices like that of Cubana Chief Priest can push the issue further into public consciousness and influence policymaking.

Policy experts have long argued that ranching offers a viable solution to the constant conflicts over grazing land. Some states have already taken legislative action to ban open grazing, with varying degrees of success. However, there remains a lack of national consensus or federal enforcement to bring such reforms into effect across the country.

The presidency has yet to respond publicly to the latest killings or the socialite’s direct appeal, but pressure is clearly mounting on the federal government to act decisively. With lives continually being lost, communities being displaced, and economic activities disrupted, the question remains how much longer the country can afford to tolerate a system that many now view as outdated and dangerously unsustainable.

Cubana Chief Priest’s call may be viewed by some as symbolic, yet it underscores a deeper truth: Nigerians from all walks of life are demanding change, and they are no longer willing to stay silent.

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