President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of the perpetrators behind the massacre of over 100 residents in Yelewata community, Benue State, in what has been widely described as a gruesome attack by armed herders.
The President gave the directive on Tuesday while addressing a gathering of political stakeholders, traditional rulers, and government officials at the Government House in Makurdi during a condolence visit to the state.
“How come no one has been arrested for committing this heinous crime in Yelewata?” Tinubu demanded while directly confronting the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. “Inspector General of Police, where are the arrests? The criminals must be arrested immediately.”
Also present at the meeting were Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; governors from Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, and Nasarawa; and other high-ranking officials.
The President instructed Nigeria’s security architecture—including the DSS and National Intelligence Agency (NIA)—to intensify intelligence gathering and surveillance to track down the attackers. He also charged the Chief of Defence Staff to improve collaboration with local communities for early warnings and effective responses.
Reiterating the importance of inclusive governance for peacebuilding, Tinubu urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to form a peace committee comprising former governors, traditional rulers, community elders, federal officials, and non-indigenes. “Let us meet again in Abuja and fashion out a framework for lasting peace. I am ready to invest in that peace,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Tinubu visited victims of the attack at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, where he commended health workers and called for urgent blood donations to save lives.
“The value of human life is greater than that of a cow,” the President said. “We were elected to govern, not to bury people.”
He encouraged Governor Alia to allocate land for ranching, promising federal support through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
While assuring the people of his commitment to democratic leadership and national unity, Tinubu reflected on the heavy emotional weight of the tragedy. “I wanted to come here to commission projects, not to see gloomy faces,” he said. “Peace is vital to development.”
Governor Alia, in his remarks, appealed for the creation of a Federal Special Intervention Fund to support the rehabilitation of communities affected by violence. He said the fund would help rebuild homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, particularly for displaced farmers.
He also renewed his call for state policing as a long-term strategy to tackle insecurity. “We are committed to building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Benue State,” the governor said.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional council, the Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse, described the President’s visit as historic and lauded his appointments of Benue indigenes into key federal positions.
However, the monarch issued a stark warning over the root cause of the violence. “This is not a herder-farmer clash,” he said. “It is a calculated, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder-terrorists and bandits.”
He also condemned political actors accused of exploiting the violence to push for a state of emergency. “Any politician who prays for more people to die for such a project is working against the people of Benue State,” the monarch said.
Appealing for urgent action, the Tor Tiv told the President: “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 produce food for Nigeria.”
The President responded with reassurance. “I assure you, we will find peace. We will convert this tragedy into prosperity.”
