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Following the attacks on the Yelwata community in Benue State that claimed the lives of over a hundred people, Teseer Ugbor, member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, spoke about the issue with Channels TV.
In an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on June 19, 2025, the lawmaker urged Benue residents to take responsibility for their security and described the attack as a clear case of terrorism and banditry.
While confirming allegations that some of the attackers live in states near Benue, he stated that the attacks were offshoots of banditry and terrorism that had been going on for years.
He noted that the state may have been a target for these attacks due to its potential, including fertile land, a large population, and the predominant religion practised by most people.
“Benue has fertile land. Let me tell you a little about Benue. Benue is the fourth or fifth largest in terms of population in Nigeria, and the Tiv people are the fourth or fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria. Benue is the most Christian state in Northern Nigeria. It is the most fertile state in terms of food production. Benue was the food basket of the nation, but all that is gone. Over 40 per cent of our arable land is currently not being farmed,” he said.
DUBAWA observed that the lawmaker made specific claims during the interview and decided to fact-check them to verify their veracity due to the sensitive nature of the issue.
Claim 1: Benue has the fourth or fifth largest population in Nigeria.
Verdict: False!
The National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) 2020 data showed that Benue’s estimated population was about the 12th biggest, not the fourth or fifth biggest, as claimed.
Verification
The demographics statistics bulletin from the NBS estimated the population of Benue for 2020 at 5,905,747. However, about 11 other states have population estimates higher than that of Benue.
They are Kano with 14,655,311 residents; Lagos with 13,012,971; Katsina, 9,639,059; Kaduna, 8,549,066; Bauchi, 7,788,504; Oyo, 7,667,318; Rivers, 7,183,473; Jigawa, 7,007,317; Niger, 6,407,568; Ogun, 6,090,740; and Sokoto, 6,039,289 — placing Benue as the 12th most populous state in the country.
Meanwhile, these figures were projections based on the 2006 population census by the National Population Commission.
Claim 2: Tiv tribe is the 5th largest ethnic group in Nigeria.
Verdict: Mostly True! The Tiv people have a large population, although they are surpassed in numbers by the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulani ethnic groups.
Verification
Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups and indigenous languages, with English as the official language. The CIA ranked the country’s ethnic groups on its website, with the largest being the Hausa ethnic group, which makes up 30% of the country’s population. This is followed by Yoruba with 15.5%, Igbo with 15.2%, and Fulani at 6%. The Tiv and Kanuri each make up 2.4% of the population, while the Ijaw, Ibibio, and other ethnic groups collectively account for 24%.
Conclusion
The claim that Benue State has the fifth-largest population in Nigeria is false. Available data showed that the state’s population ranks 12th nationally. Also, the Tiv people are the fifth-largest ethnic group in Nigeria, according to data from the CIA