Benue Killings: Tinubu orders Security Chiefs to hunt down perpetrators as Tor Tiv decries ‘Genocidal Invasion’

President Bola Tinubu has issued a firm directive to Nigeria’s security chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately go after those responsible for the gruesome killings in Benue State that left scores of residents dead and several others injured.

Tinubu gave the order on Wednesday during a visit to the state capital, Makurdi, in response to a string of violent attacks blamed on armed herders.

During a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Benue State Government House, the president expressed disappointment over the lack of arrests despite earlier instructions for decisive security action.

He charged the police and military top brass to retool their intelligence gathering and intensify operations to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu stated pointedly.

The president acknowledged the efforts of the military and intelligence agencies but urged them not to relent.

He also directed the Director-Generals of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the State Security Service (SSS) to reinforce intelligence networks to ensure the security crisis does not repeat itself.

The renewed violence in Yelwata and other communities of Guma Local Government Area sparked nationwide condemnation, with prominent figures including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar demanding urgent federal intervention.

Pope Leo XIV had earlier prayed for Benue victims, describing the killings as a “terrible massacre.”

Tinubu, while addressing stakeholders, including governors, lawmakers, and traditional rulers, called for tolerance and unity among all ethnic groups in the state.

“As Nigerians, we are members of the same house, but sleeping in different rooms. Whether you are Tiv, Idoma, or Yoruba, let’s turn this country into a nation of prosperity and unity,” he said.

The president proposed the formation of a leadership committee comprising past governors, traditional rulers, and key stakeholders to chart a lasting solution to the crisis.

He assured that the federal government is willing to support any initiative that would restore peace to the troubled state.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, in his remarks, advocated for the creation of state police and an intervention fund for affected communities, stressing that community policing, though challenging, is necessary for sustainable peace.

In a moving address, the Tor Tiv V and Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, James Ayatse, described the killings as a calculated and genocidal invasion masked as herder-farmer clashes.

“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, which has been on for decades,” he declared.

The traditional ruler warned against downplaying the crisis with misleading narratives, insisting that addressing the violence correctly is key to ending the bloodshed.

President Tinubu rounded off his visit by stopping at a local hospital to see victims of the recent attacks and urged Nigerians to voluntarily donate blood to help save lives.

The Inspector-General of Police, who had arrived in Benue a day earlier, ordered the deployment of more tactical units to bolster ongoing operations in the state.