President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the deadly attack in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 100 people were killed by suspected armed herders last Friday.
Speaking during a town hall meeting in Makurdi on Wednesday, Tinubu tasked the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, with tracking down the perpetrators.
“Christopher, we need to get our ears to the ground. Let’s get those criminals and bring them to justice,” he said.
Tinubu also visited survivors receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital. He was accompanied by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia.
Addressing local leaders, the president emphasized the need for unity across party lines and warned against political infighting:
“Your political enemies don’t want you to succeed. Are you just realizing that? We must unite for peace.”
He proposed forming a regional leadership committee to craft a long-term peace plan and promised federal support for the initiative:
“We cannot do without one another. I propose we meet in Abuja to craft a path forward. I’m ready to invest in peace.”
Benue State has long been a hotspot for violent clashes involving armed herdsmen, leading to high casualties and mass displacement. The latest killings have reignited demands for stronger federal intervention and more effective security measures in the Middle Belt.
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