*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urges Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on the need for stakeholder management, urging the governor to constitute a peace committee in Benue State, and include former governors of the state, elders, traditional rulers, Federal Government officials, and non-indigenes living in the state

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

Following the recent wanton destruction of lives and property of the people in Yelwata community, in Benue State of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, to immediately arrest killer herders.

绿帽献妻 reports the criminals recently perpetrated the heinous killing of over 100 residents in Yelwata community.

President Tinubu Wednesday, June 18, 2025, issued the matching to the relevant security agencies while addressing stakeholders in the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Markudi, Benue State capital.

In attendance at the meeting were Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), traditional rulers, and former governors of the state.

Likewise, Governors of Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, and Nasarawa attended the meeting, in Makurdi.

President Tinubu, in his address, also called out the Inspector General of Police to know why arrests have not been made.

Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Wednesday stated President Tinubu also said: “How come no one has been arrested for committing this heinous crime in Yelwata. “Inspector-General of Police, where are the arrests? The criminals must be arrested immediately.”

The Nigerian leader equally urged the Heads of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to intensify surveillance and gather actionable intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators soonest.

The President charged General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to pay attention to the need for vigilance and collaboration between communities and security forces.

President advises Governor Alia to engage stakeholders

Emphasising the importance engaging stakeholders in the peacemaking process in Benue, Tinubu urged Governor Alia to further appreciate the importance of stakeholder management for peaceful and progressive governance.

The President urged the governor to set up a peace committee in Benue State and include former governors of the state, elders, traditional rulers, Federal Government officials, and non-indigenes living in the state.

He stated: “Let us meet again in Abuja. Let’s fashion out a framework for lasting peace.

“I am ready to invest in that peace. I assure you, we will find peace. We will convert this tragedy into prosperity.”

Besides, President Tinubu encouraged Governor Alia of Benue State to allocate land for ranching, and directed the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to follow up.

The President called for blood donations to support the injured receiving treatment at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, where he had earlier visited victims and medical staff.

Leadership is a huge responsibility -Tinubu

Underlining the importance of peace for sustainable development, President Tinubu as well implored the Governor to ensure that Benue is peaceful.

Tinubu also lamented that circumstances of his visit to Benue this time should not have been a reason to visit.

He said: “I wanted to come here to commission projects, to reassure you of hope and prosperity, not to see gloomy faces. But peace is vital to development.

“The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people.”

He charged Governor Alia with working with the Federal Government to restore peace.

The President asserted: “Governor Alia, you were elected under the progressive banner to ensure peace, stability, and progress.

“You are not elected to bury people or comfort widows and orphans.

“We will work with you to achieve that peace. You must also work with us.”

He further averred: “Not everyone will like you in politics. They hate me, too鈥攍ike hell. But here I am, still your President.

“I made a promise to protect democracy, freedom, and prosperity, even for my abusers and accusers. That’s leadership.”

Alia seeks Special Intervention Fund for communities

Speaking at the meeting, Governor Alia appealed to the Federal Government to establish a Special Intervention Fund for communities affected by repeated violent attacks across Benue State.

The governor stated: “Your Excellency, while we continue to mourn our losses and rebuild from the ashes of pain, we humbly urge the Federal Government to consider establishing a special intervention fund for communities affected by these incessant attacks in Benue State.”

He also said the fund would support the rehabilitation of displaced persons, reconstruction of destroyed homes and infrastructure, and the restoration of livelihoods, especially for farmers.

The Benue Governor, therefore, restated his support for establishing State Police as a lasting solution to insecurity.

He pledged his administration’s full commitment to building a safe, stable, prosperous Benue State.

Tor Tiv: Benue crisis is genocidal invasion, a land-grabbing campaign

In his remarks during the meeting, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse, Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, Tor Tiv聽聽 praised President Tinubu for being the first sitting President to personally visit victims in the hospital in the wake of such a tragedy.

Prof. Ayatse thanked the President for appointing notable Benue indigenes into key positions, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, while expressing hope that more appointments would follow.

On the recurring spate of insecurity across Benue State, the monarch touched on alleged misinformation and mischaracterisation of the current crusis.

He asserted that “land grabbing” is at the core of the decades-long conflict.

The traditional ruler said: “Your Excellency, it is not herder-farmer clashes. It is not communal clashes. It is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes.

“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.”

He cautioned that mischaracterising the crisis had led to inadequate responses and accused some political actors of exploiting the situation for selfish gain.

Orchivirigh Ayatse explained: “We hear that some politicians would even prefer that the crisis worsens, so it would serve as a basis for declaring a state of emergency.

“This is unfortunate. Any politician who prays for more people to die for such a project is working against the wishes of the people of Benue State.”

He, therefore, appealed to President Tinubu to restore peace to the state and every part of Nigeria.

Ayatse further stated: “All we ask of you, sir, is to stop our weeping.

“Give us peace in Benue State, so our people, primarily farmers, can return to their farms and continue to produce food for Nigeria.

“I heard a story about a challenge in a place in Kwara State, and you rose and gave them peace in Kaiama. You can do that for Benue.”

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