President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a directive to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to arrest those responsible for the brutal killings of over 100 residents in Yelewata community, Benue State. The President gave the order during a stakeholder meeting at the Benue Government House in Makurdi.
The high-level meeting was attended by key figures, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, traditional rulers, former governors, and the governors of Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Imo, Ondo, and Nasarawa States.
Tinubu publicly questioned the Inspector General of Police over the delay in making arrests. “How come no one has been arrested for the killings in Yelewata?” he asked. He also directed security agencies, including the DSS and NIA, to intensify surveillance and intelligence gathering.
The President encouraged Governor Hyacinth Alia to establish a peace committee that will include elders, traditional rulers, former governors, federal representatives, and non-indigenes, aimed at restoring stability in the state.
“I am ready to invest in peace,” Tinubu assured, adding, “Let us convert this tragedy into prosperity. Let us meet in Abuja to build a roadmap to lasting peace.”
He also called for urgent blood donations for victims receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, where he earlier met with survivors and medical staff.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to peace, the President stressed the need for land allocation to enable ranching and directed the Minister of Agriculture to follow up. “The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people,” he said.
Tinubu reminded Governor Alia that governance under the APC must focus on security and development. “You were not elected to bury people or comfort widows. You must work with the Federal Government to deliver peace and stability.”
In his remarks, Governor Alia urged the Federal Government to create a special intervention fund to assist victims of violent attacks across Benue. He also expressed strong support for the creation of state police to combat insecurity more effectively.
Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, commended President Tinubu for being the first sitting president to visit victims of such violence. He also praised the President’s inclusion of Benue indigenes in federal appointments and called for more.
However, the monarch warned against the mischaracterization of the conflict as mere farmer-herder clashes. “What we face in Benue is a calculated, full-scale genocidal invasion for land grabbing by herder-terrorists and bandits,” he said.
He appealed to President Tinubu to end the killings and restore peace, so that displaced farmers can return to their land and resume agricultural activities that support national food security.
