In response to another wave of brutal violence in Benue State, President Bola Tinubu has issued a fresh directive to security agencies to enforce peace and stability in the troubled region.
The president also tasked Governor Hyacinth Alia with spearheading reconciliation efforts to end the prolonged bloodshed between farmers, herders, and local communities.
The order comes in the aftermath of a gruesome attack on Yelewata village in Guma Local Government Area, where gunmen reportedly killed over 100 people in one of the deadliest assaults the state has witnessed in recent years.
The assault, which occurred late Friday, left dozens missing and hundreds injured, with many homes set ablaze. Most victims were displaced persons who had earlier fled similar attacks, according to emergency workers and Amnesty International.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga conveyed the President’s position in a statement issued Sunday titled “Benue Crisis: President Tinubu directs security chiefs to implement earlier directive, tasks Governor Alia on reconciliation.”
“On the president’s directive, intelligence chiefs, the police, and the military have arrived in the state to direct security operations and restore sanity,” the statement read.
Tinubu condemned the killings as “inhuman and anti-progress,” warning political and community leaders against inciting tensions through reckless rhetoric.
He emphasized that inflammatory statements could worsen the already fragile situation and spark further reprisals.
“The latest news of wanton killings in Benue State is very depressing. We must not allow this bloodletting to continue unabated. Enough is now enough,” the president said. “I have directed the security agencies to act decisively and arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them.”
President Tinubu also urged Governor Alia to rise above political sentiments and take up the mantle of a unifier, stating, “This is the time for Governor Alia to act as a statesman and immediately lead the process of dialogue and reconciliation that will bring peace to Benue.”
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He added that sustainable peace is achievable only when all sides—political, traditional, and communal—engage in open, fair, and honest dialogue.
Sunday’s directive echoes earlier efforts by the military to collaborate with state governments.
On May 16, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa had disclosed plans to deepen synergy between federal forces and state authorities to address nationwide insecurity.
While police have confirmed the attack on Yelewata, no official death toll has been released as search operations continue.
Meanwhile, fear grips residents as the rainy season—a period historically marked by intensified clashes over land use—approaches.
Governor Alia has yet to publicly respond to the president’s latest charge, but pressure is mounting on state authorities to take swift and decisive action to prevent a worsening crisis.