One of the 36 states of Nigeria. After gaining independence in 1960, three regions were established in the country, each of which was dominated by one of the three main ethnic groups - Yoruba (West), Igbo (East), Hausa / Fulani (North). This configuration gave rise to conflicts, and to mitigate them, several waves of political and administrative reforms were carried out. As a consequence, each of the three main groups was divided into several states, while in some territories states were created for ethnic minorities.
Benue is situated in the very center of the country and belongs to the macroregion of the Middle Belt (multiethnic territories located between the Muslim north and the Christian south). In the 1960s, the Middle Belt was a part of the Northern region, dominated by Hausa, but in 1967 it was allocated to a separate state of the Benueplatos, which in 1976 was divided into two - Benue and Plateau. Benue comprises the territory of residence of Giv and Idoma people, localized in different parts of the state. Both groups can be regarded as the leading ethnic groups in the province. Both people speak the language of the Niger-Congolese family, profess predominantly Christianity, and some Idoma tribes follow traditional beliefs.
Because of confessional similarity between the two main ethnic groups, the key problem in interethnic relations is related to migration. Benue occupies a favorable geographical position and is quite attractive for migrants, especially from the North. This leads to tensions between local agricultural groups primarily, Tiv) and nomadic tribes that migrate to the region (Fulani). Given that migrants are predominantly Muslims, the conflict turns to confessional grounds
