President Bola Tinubu is travelling to Benue State today as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflicts affecting communities in the state, which resulted in the killing of over 200 persons by armed herdsmen last weekend.
This came on a day Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia, confirmed that armed herders were responsible for the killings, even as the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, and leadership of Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, sought an end to the killings in the state, saying ‘’enough is enough.’’
Also, Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume, who also condemned the killings, said the killers are motivated by economic interest rather than religion, just as the Chrsitian Association of Nigeria, CAN, urged the Federal Government to prosecute those responsible for the killings, if the constant slaughtering of people in the state is to be halted.
On the visit to Benue tomorrow, the President has already rescheduled his official visit to Kaduna State.
A statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, yesterday, explained that the President’s visit was to assess, first hand, the recurring crises that had claimed numerous lives and caused significant destruction.
The statement read: “During his stay, President Tinubu will meet with all stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political, religious, community leaders, and youth groups—to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.
“In preparation for the visit, President Tinubu has already dispatched the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, heads of intelligence agencies, the National Security Adviser, and Chairmen of the Senate and House Defence Committees to Benue State. The President is expected to hold a town hall meeting with all stakeholders during the visit.”
President Tinubu had, hours after the killings, condemned the ongoing violence in Benue State and called on all leaders and residents to embrace peace, love and mutual understanding.
He extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to all those who have suffered losses as a result of the crisis.
According to his itinerary released over the weekend, President Tinubu was initially scheduled to visit Kaduna State tomorrow to commission various state government projects, but had the trip shifted to Thursday to pave way for the Benue visit.
Recall that there had been repeated calls on the President to always visit scenes of tragedies, in solidarity with victims, with a view to giving them hope.
While reacting to the latest at Yelewata yesterday, Governor Hyacinth Alia, said armed herders who entered the state without cattle are responsible for the recent wave of violent attacks in the state
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, Alia said the herders come into the state with AK-47s and AK-49s, adding that after carrying out murders and destroying communities, new groups of people often move into affected areas to take over the land.
He said the borders posed a challenge to his state, as many of the assailants throng Benue from neighbouring Nasarawa.
Governor Alia, who noted that some of the aggressors arrived through the Cameroonian border, insisted that some of them were not Nigerians.
He said: “Last year, people had gone back home and engaged in farming activities with bountiful produce.
“But this farming season again, we started experiencing the phase of the new attacks. The phase of the new attacks comes this way. Before now, we were talking about the farmers/herders crisis, now it has graduated from there, it has become the question of herders coming in and the armed men were among them.
“We tagged them the armed herdsmen. What we experience, generally, is that the herds are not being brought in but those who are in the frontline fighting out here are only carrying AK-47 and AK-49.
“What are their aims? They don’t even come with cows. They attack, kill, and after one week, a number of people now come back to occupy.
“What we understand on the ground is a simple equation. A thief will not just come to a community unless there is someone within the community who leads the thief to your house or the community.
“What we have now is that, strangely, it is the fact that the herders had a crisis, the armed herders hijacked it and now the bandits, and terrorists have come in completely. That is the situation on the ground.’’
Benue killers motivated by economic interest, not religion — SGF
Similarly, Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume, while condemning the killings yesterday, said the killers were motivated by economic interest rather than religion.
Akume in a statement said the situation was both disheartening and utterly condemnable.
“This latest reprehensible act, one among too many, is not merely a tragedy for Benue; it is a deep wound to the soul of our nation. These dastardly acts are not restricted to Benue State alone. Plateau and Zamfara states also suffer the same fate. These killings are economic, not religious-driven.
“The innocent lives lost, men, women, and children, will not be forgotten. We mourn them not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters, bound together by a shared humanity and a common destiny.
“Beyond mourning, I call on all sons and daughters of Benue, our leaders, traditional institutions, and key stakeholders to come together now, urgently, to forge a path toward lasting peace and security. We must rise above division and act decisively to protect our people and preserve our future,” he said.
Akume expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, “for his swift directive for a full security operation to rid Benue of these killers and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
He noted that the Federal Government had rendered assistance through the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, while more troops had been deployed in the state to handle the explosive situation.
“On my part, as a son of the soil and a key stakeholder, I will not relent in consulting, mobilising, and coordinating all necessary efforts to find and implement a durable solution, as I am doing the same for all the other affected states.
“As believers, Christians, Muslims, traditionalists, we believe in the sanctity of human lives. Any single life lost offends the sensibility of God Almighty. All of us must live as brothers and sisters in peace and harmony.
“I extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families and the resilient people of Benue. In this dark hour, we stand with you. And we will not rest until justice speaks — loudly, clearly, and without delay,” he stated.
IGP in Benue, orders deployment of additional tactical teams
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday arrived Benue State, following the attacks that resulted in the killing of over 200 persons by armed herders.
He was accompanied by senior officers, including the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Operations, DIG Yakubu Kwazhi, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Logistics and Supply, DIG Adebola Ayinde Hamzat; the AIG Zone 4, AIG Zachariah Fera; and the CP SIS, CP Abayomi Shogunle.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement yesterday: “Upon arrival in Benue State, the IGP visited the State Government House, where he commiserated with Governor Hyacinth Alia, who expressed his ease and delight for the IGP’s visit and the deployment of personnel and tactical assets over time, and even at the moment.
“In his discussion with the governor, the IGP condemned the attacks, describing the killings as senseless and an act of terrorism, further reassuring that the Nigeria Police Force would carry out its best efforts to rein in the situation and bring the perpetrators of these heinous and barbaric acts to justice.
“The IGP also seized the opportunity to visit the Yelwata Community in Guma LGA of the State, where he inspected the damage done and engaged the community leaders alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
“The IGP commiserated with members of the community and reassured them of the NPF’s commitment to further augmenting the available security emplacement in the state.
“To this end, the Inspector-General of Police has directed the immediate deployment of additional tactical teams and assets, assigning the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Operations, DIG Kwazhi Dali Yakubu to take charge and oversee the operations aimed at restoring peace and serenity to Benue State.
Addressing officers and men of the Benue State Command at the Officers’ Mess located at the State Headquarters, Makurdi, the assured them of adequate welfare and logistics support to challenge the ongoing hazards in the state.
“The Nigeria Police Force once again reaffirms its commitment, in line with the agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the good people of Benue State and the entire country.
“The Force remains resolute towards bringing the perpetrators of these attacks to justice and restoring peace to all affected communities.’’
Sultan, CCN seek end to killings, say enough is enough
Also, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and the leadership of Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, said yesterday they were deeply pained and disturbed by the renewed spate of gruesome killings and bloodletting in parts of Benue State, saying ‘’enough is enough.’’
On its part, the JNI in a statement by it’s Secretary-General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, titled “Time to rise beyond lamentations as Benue bleeds again’’, said: “For how long would such senseless killings continue to occur on Nigerian soil? Why has it remained so difficult for security agencies in pre-empting such catastrophic occurrences on our national lives?”
JNI unequivocally condemned the act in its totality,which it described as inhumane, ungodly, and a complete betrayal of “our common values as human beings.”
It stated further: “The sanctity of human life is sacrosanct and must not be toyed with. Allah, the Most High, says Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.”
“It is therefore unacceptable that in a supposedly democratic and civilised setting, human lives are exterminated with such impunity, without any deterrence and/or timely justice against the devilish actors.
“While the JNI appreciates the efforts of security agencies, we are, however, constrained to express our displeasure at their often reactive posture. It has become a recurring pattern for security operatives to arrive only after the damage has been done.
‘’Such act emboldens the perpetrators and dampens the morale of innocent citizens. Security must be intelligence-driven, proactive, and prompt if we are to avert future recurrences, which is invariably becoming normalised.’’
It tasked all relevant stakeholders, government at all levels, religious bodies, civil society organisations and community leaders, to come together in synergy and sincerity to end the repeated avoidable carnage.
“Enough is enough. Our collective silence or indifference may only serve to embolden the enemies of peace and national unity in Nigeria.
“JNI prays to Almighty Allah to console the victims’ families, and restore lasting peace and tranquility in Benue State and the entire country. We also pray for global peace, justice, and security, for without peace, development is but a mirage.
“As we mourn with Benue State, let this serve as a moment of national reflection. Let us shun divisive narratives and rise as one humanity to say ‘No More’ to senseless killings, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or political inclination! Human life remains sacred and must be treated as such, as we have repeatedly stated.
‘’We also commiserate with the government and the good people of Benue State over the monumental tragedy. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the quick recovery of the injured.
‘’ This painful loss is not only Benue’s; it is Nigeria’s. Indeed, no sane society should normalise such carnage,’’ JNI stated.
CCN condemns killings in Benue
In the same vein, the leadership of Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, also condemned the killings in Benue, describing it as madness.
The President of CCN, Most Rev. David Onuoha, who said in a statement in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday, stated: “We join people of conscience from all over the world to condemn and lament the massacre of more than 200 innocent lives in Benue State over the weekend.
“This is the most recent in the orgy of killings going on in different parts of the country, especially in Benue and Plateau states.
“What is very intriguing is the fact that this resent attack happened a few days after the chief of army staff relocated to Benue State to quell the insurgency there.
“It is very disturbing to note that most of these atrocities take place in the shadow of security check points/posts. It is very disheartening that the government has always issued statements condemning these acts and giving assurances that do not go beyond political correctness.’’
While expressing a strong belief that it was time for the government to come up with actionable, time-bound plans to end what he described as national embarrassment, CCN leadership further stressed that fulfilling its primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizens was the best way to convince Nigerians that government had their interest and welfare at heart.
He said: “We are worried that ever since this spate of killings, which has also not spared the lives of our gallant security personnel escalated, no arrests nor convictions have been recorded, and this further heighten fears as to the purpose or intentions of the perpetrators and their accomplices.
“It is certain that these merchants of death are not ghosts or spirits, but the failure of our security agents to arrest any of them leaves more questions than answers.
“The appropriate government agencies should do well to unravel the identity of these killers, let us know whether they are Nigerians or foreigners. Why should communities be sacked and a new set of people occupy their land without relevant authorities asking necessary questions?
“Assuming foreigners are involved, why is government not seeing this as undermining the sovereignty of this country? We call on the government to immediately declare a state of emergency on insecurity in Benue, Plateau and, indeed, every other state in Nigeria.
“A ban should be placed on campaigns for 2027 elections for at least the next six months, during which every attention is focused on securing Nigeria and halting the wanton destruction of lives and property in the land.
“It is time to stop the flow of blood in Nigeria as the land has had enough. May God be pleased to usher in the flow of river of joy and gladness in our country, so the people will have a new song on their lips.”
Punish perpetrators, stop impunity now, CAN tells FG
Dissecting the situation yesterday, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, called on the Federal Government to urgently prosecute those responsible for the killings.
In a statement by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President of CAN, the association demanded immediate action to break the cycle of violence and impunity in the state.
“For too long, the people of Benue have been subjected to recurrent assaults, often blamed on armed groups without meaningful intervention or justice,” CAN stated.
It urged the government to deploy reinforced security personnel to protect vulnerable communities and, if necessary, declare a state of emergency in the most affected areas.
“This persistent failure to safeguard citizens and bring perpetrators to account has emboldened attackers and prolonged the cycle of violence,” It stressed.
The association also called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the killings, insisting that justice must prevail.
“We demand the immediate deployment of reinforced security personnel to protect vulnerable communities and, if necessary, the declaration of a state of emergency in the most affected areas,” CAN stated.
In addition to domestic action, CAN appealed to the international community to support peace efforts and help rebuild trust in Benue.
“We also appeal to the international community to support efforts aimed at restoring peace and rebuilding trust in Benue State,” CAN added.
Reiterating its unwavering stance on the sanctity of life and the protection of all Nigerians, it styated further: “The Christian Association of Nigeria remains unwavering in its commitment to defending the sanctity of life and advocating the protection and dignity of all Nigerians.”
People may be forced to defend themselves, David Mark tells FG
Similarly, former Senate President, Senator David Mark, warned yesterday that if the unending killings in Benue State were not nipped in the bud by the Federal Government, people would have not option but to defend themselves.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja, Mark decried the deteriorating security situation in Benue State, which has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and widespread destruction of property.
He described the killings as “senseless, tragic, and unacceptable.”
Mark, who emphasised that the primary responsibility of any government was the welfare and security of its citizens, said any deviation from this mandate constituted a gross disservice to the people.
“This is the unfortunate reality Benue people are confronted with. Government must rise to its responsibility, or risk leaving the people with no option but to defend themselves.”
He urged the Federal Government to fulfill its constitutional obligation to safeguard the lives and property of all Nigerians, calling on the state government, under the leadership of Governor Hyacinth Alia, to intensify its efforts in ensuring the safety of the people.
The former Senate president urged traditional rulers, community leaders, and stakeholders to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security agencies in identifying and apprehending those behind the heinous crimes.
ACF condemns violence in Benue, flays senseless killings
Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, also yesterday, condemned the carnage in the Benue community of Yelewata and called on security agencies to double efforts against further blood letting.
ACF in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, said it was greatly disturbed by the resurgence of yet another tragic episode of violence, leading to the gruesome death of scores of persons, and injuries to many, including women, children and the elderly, last Friday.
It stated: “ACF categorically and unequivocally condemns the senseless killings that continue to escalate for far too long, every time with tragic consequences, and potent threats to the shared destiny in Arewa and, indeed, in Nigeria.
‘’The gruesome incident at Yelewata is only the latest, in a cascading series of catastrophic violence, pitching farmers and herders, which dishearteningly seems to defy solutions, including decisive action by the federal government-controlled security agencies.
“To show a new determination, only a few days before the Yelewata tragedy, the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, had undertaken a high visibility relocation to Benue State. That the Yelewata tragedy would take place within days of the COAS’s relocation clearly illustrates that prevailing curtailment strategy must, therefore, be reviewed, to frontally confront the discomfiting regime of terrorism, insurgencies, banditry, communal conflicts, etc, however labelled.
“Proactive measures, including vigilance, improved intelligence gathering must be the crucial ingredients of new curtailment strategies against the recurring cycle of senseless violence.
‘’Therefore, ACF calls on citizens of Benue and other violence-prone states to commit to rejecting hate narratives, fear and anger and replace same with empathy and understanding, cooperation and reconciliation.”
“ACF calls for the immediate provision of adequate relief materials to the Yelewata and other affected communities by the federal and Benue State governments, commends the efforts of Governor Alia of Benue State who has been visibly trying to fashion a new approach to finding lasting peace in the state, and refreshingly, through inclusive peace-building efforts to unearth the underlying causes of the cycle of vio-lence.
‘’In doing so, impunity must not be allowed to continue to hold sway. All those found culpable must held to justice.”
You’re failing on security, PDP slams Tinubu
In its assessment of the situation in Benue, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, blamed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for failing to tackle Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who gave the assessment, described the attacks as ‘’another horrifying chapter in Nigeria’s history under an unresponsive APC administration.’’
Ologunagba’s criticism came amid mounting public outrage and grief over the spate of killings, particularly in central and northern regions of the country.
“It is clear that the assailants marauding communities in various states of our country are being emboldened by President Tinubu’s lethargic approach to security. ’The APC has failed to decisively confront the situation, given its reported connections with terrorist interests,” he stated.
Ologunagba said the party was alarmed by reports that terrorists and bandits carried out coordinated attacks on several communities in Benue, killing hundreds of defenceless citizens without any meaningful resistance.
He accused President Tinubu of failing to demonstrate the leadership expected of a Commander-in-Chief, arguing that the President had remained distant and reactive in the face of national tragedies.
“Instead of decisive action, President Tinubu has remained largely aloof and resorted to passing the buck, with his aides issuing lame press statements without urgent presidential action to guarantee the security of citizens.
“President Tinubu should be held responsible for the killings in Nigeria, having not demonstrated the will and commitment expected of a Commander-in-Chief in the fight against terrorism in our country,” the party stated.
Despite its strong criticism of the government, the PDP commended the country’s security forces for their sacrifices and gallantry under what it described as ‘an underperforming Commander-in-Chief.’
“We commend the courage of our gallant security personnel who continue to risk their lives to defend our country, even without adequate support,” Ologunagba said.
The main opposition party extended condolences to the families of those killed and urged security agencies not to relent in their duties despite current challenges.
“Our Party deeply commiserates with the families of the victims of the senseless killings in Benue State and other parts of our country,” the PDP added.
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