On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Benue State for the first time since assuming office two years ago. An unplanned visit necessitated by the massive carnage and displacement of law-abiding citizens by murderous gunmen who wantonly attacked two communities in the state. There were other attacks before now, and the attendant displacements and deaths of community members.
The latest, however, pricked nerves and generated massive outrage within and outside Nigeria. The recent attacks on Yelewata and Daudu have resulted in significant displacement and loss of lives. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), over 6,527 individuals have been displaced, comprising 1,069 households, among them 1,768 females, 759 males, 657 children under 18, 1,870 adults, 252 lactating mothers, 82 pregnant women and 91 elderly persons.
Local reports also indicate that over 200 people were killed in the two communities. This figure did not include injuries and casualties among security personnel. Two soldiers and one security defence officer lost their lives in an ambush while responding to the incident in Daudu. There were dozens who sustained injuries, with 46 individuals rushed to hospitals, and 20 later said to have succumbed to their injuries.
Indeed, as the President said during the visit, the scale of destruction and loss is heartbreaking. It was a sad moment for all, a very difficult moment for not just the victims but also the state governor, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, who has repeatedly strongly condemned the violent attacks on defenceless people, describing them as vicious and unacceptable, and working with security agencies, traditional rulers, and residents to find lasting solutions to the crisis. He has also worked with the federal government to increase security presence in affected areas.
Governor Alia has variously appealed to the federal government to urgently address the worsening insecurity in the state, emphasizing the need for decisive action to end the killings.
He has advocated for community policing as the most effective approach to addressing the state’s security challenges.
Alia believes that local communities are best positioned to understand their security needs and should be empowered to support policing efforts. These, he also echoed during the President’s visit, when he appealed to President Tinubu to back the creation of state police, highlighting it as a viable and sustainable approach to addressing insecurity. He argued that state governors need the necessary tools to respond effectively to security challenges within their domain.
Governor Alia also urged the federal government to establish a special intervention fund for communities affected by insurgency, to provide relief for displaced persons, and to mitigate their hardships.
On his part, the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, took time to address misinformation and mischaracterisation, saying that land grabbing is at the core of the decades-long conflict.
“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.
“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,” the Tor Tiv said, and appealed to President Tinubu to restore peace to the state and every part of Nigeria.
“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.”
In all of these, President Tinubu delivered some powerful messages of hope to the people of Benue State.
“To the good people of Benue, I see your pain. I feel it with you. And I assure you, we will not leave you behind. will restore peace, rebuild, and bring the perpetrators to justice. You are not alone,” he said.
Apart from challenging security agencies to go after the perpetrators and bring them to justice, President Tinubu said ranching will bring greater solution to the conflict with herders, protect local farmers, and enhance local economy. The President, who emphasized the importance of establishing ranches to curb the indiscriminate movement of livestock, assured that the federal government would provide the necessary support to the state government in setting up the ranches
Another message from the President is for the state government to constitute an inclusive peace committee aimed at proffering lasting solutions to the conflicts in the state. He recommended that the peace committee should consist of respected statesmen, including former governors, traditional rulers, and key stakeholders, and promised to sit with the committee in Abuja for deeper deliberations on how to achieve enduring peace in Benue State.
Tinubu’s most profound message was to the security agencies. He told them that their best is not enough, he expressed dissatisfaction with the efforts of the Inspector General of Police, and he questioned why no arrest has been made in connection with the killings. He also called on the Chief of Defence Staff and the Director General of the Department of State Services to intensify efforts in tackling the persistent attacks in Benue and other troubled parts of the country.
Hopefully, this visit will culminate in a more united and decisive action, not just to save lives, but to scorch out the murderous herders, local militias and their collaborators, so that Benue will have peace.
Bridget Tikyaa
Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Media Publicity and Communications Strategy
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