President Bola Tinubu has directed the country’s security chiefs and Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector general of police, to apprehend those responsible for the recent spate of killings in Benue State, which have left dozens dead and many others injured.
The president gave the order on Wednesday during his visit to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, where he met with stakeholders at the Government House following renewed violent attacks in Yelwata, a community in the North-Central state.
“How come no one has been arrested for committing this heinous crime in Yelewata. IG, where are the arrests…” Tinubu questioned.
“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” he added.
Addressing the country’s security heads, the president said: “Christopher (the Chief of Defence Staff), you have given much. I watch your comments, you can’t be tired of staying in the bush. Oloyede and the Air Marshal, we thank all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground, let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out. DG NIA, DG SSS, retool your information channels and let’s have tangible intelligence so that this will not occur again.”
The attack on Yelwata, allegedly carried out by suspected herders, left scores dead and displaced thousands, drawing widespread condemnation and triggering protests across the state.
The incident generated condemnation both locally and internationally, forcing Tinubu to visit the troubled state.
Tinubu, who also visited survivors of the incident at the hospital, proposed the creation of a peace-building committee composed of former governors, traditional rulers, and key stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the recurring violence in the state.
“Whatever we need to do, I will want us to create this leadership committee now, and then we will meet in Abuja to really fashion out the nucleus of a lasting peace, and I am ready to invest in that peace,” he said.
The president also encouraged blood donations to support the victims of the violence. “Governor, please announce in the broadcast for people to donate more blood voluntarily to the hospitals,” Tinubu appealed.
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Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting, the Tor Tiv V and chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, James Ayatse, rejected the common framing of the crisis as mere communal or farmers-herders clashes.
“We have grave concern about the misinformation and misrepresentation of the security crisis in Benue,” he said.
“Your Excellency, it is not herders-farmers clashes, it is not communal clashes, it is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes. It is this misinformation that has led to suggestions such as ‘remain tolerant’, ‘negotiate for peace’, or ‘learn to live with your neighbours.’
“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder-terrorists and bandits, which has been on for decades and is worsening every year.
“Wrong diagnosis will always lead to wrong treatment. So we are dealing with something far more sinister than we often admit,” the traditional ruler warned.
