BENUE, a river of the Cameroons and Northern Province of Nigeria in West Africa and the largest and most important afflu ent of the Niger (q.v.), which it joins after a course of over Boom. in a general east to west direction from its source in the moun tains of Adamawa. Through the Tuburi marshes there is a water connection between the Benue (Niger) and Shari (Lake Chad) systems.