President Bola Tinubu has mandated the country’s service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to go after those behind the dastardly killings in Benue State, which have left scores of people dead and many others severely injured.
Tinubu issued the order on Wednesday during his visit to Benue State following the renewed attacks in the North-Central State.
“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 said at the Benue Government House in Makurdi, the capital, during a stakeholders meeting.
“Christopher (the Chief of Defence Staff), you have given much. I watch your comments, you can’t be tired of staying in the bush. Oloyede and the Air Marshal, we thank all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground, let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out. DG NIA, DG SSS, retool your information channels and let’s have tangible intelligence so that this will not occur again.”
Gunmen, suspected to be herders, had last week attacked the Yelwata community in the Yelwata Local Government Area (LGA) of the food-producing state, leaving many dead and thousands of others displaced.
That killing sparked national outrage and eventually led to a protest in some parts of the state.
Opposition politicians, including Peter Obi of the Labour Party and a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, were vocal about their condemnation of the deadly attacks, asking Tinubu and security agencies to address the killings.
Pope Leo XIV also joined the call for an end to the attacks, which he described as “a terrible massacre”.
Members Of Same House
On Sunday, Tinubu asked Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to convene a reconciliation meeting and dialogue with the warring factions as part of moves to end the bloodshed and bring peace to the state.
During his visit to the troubled state on Wednesday, Tinubu re-echoed the need for tolerance and dialogue among stakeholders in the North-Central state.
“As Nigerians, we are members of the same house, but sleeping in different rooms. Whether you are a Tiv, Idoma, or Yoruba, let’s turn this country into a nation of prosperity, and unity, and fight our enemies together; not fight each other,” the president told the gathering that including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje; traditional leaders, governors and other dignitaries.
“We can turn this tragedy into economic prosperity. We can do it, and we will do it with you. Let’s have a very serious understanding of, tolerance level. The value of human lives is greater than that of a cow,” Tinubu told Governor Alia.
“Let’s create that synergy for peace, development, and prosperity. We are here to govern, not to bury [them]. We are here to raise families, not to lose some, and provide healthcare, water for them to drink, and food [for them] to eat,” he said amid applause from the crowd at the Government House in the Benue State capital.
