Security chiefs came under intense scrutiny yesterday (18/06/2025) from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the nation’s Commander-in-Chief.
The President questioned their failure to apprehend any of the perpetrators behind the ongoing violence in Benue State, despite the scale and frequency of the attacks.
He urged them to take decisive action to bring the bloodshed to an end, vowing to keep pressing them until those responsible for the killing of 147 individuals in Yelewata are captured and normalcy returns to the affected communities.
During a one-day visit to Benue State aimed at gaining direct insight into the security situation, President Tinubu gave firm instructions to the country’s security leadership. As part of his visit, he stopped by the hospital to meet with victims of the weekend’s assault on Yelewata—a tragedy that marks the latest in a series of deadly assaults which have claimed over 500 lives across several communities since the start of the year.
At a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Makurdi, the state’s capital, the President addressed Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, saying: “How come no one has been arrested for committing this heinous crime in Yelewata? Inspector General of Police, where are the arrests? The criminals must be arrested immediately.”
President Tinubu also gave orders to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to boost intelligence-gathering efforts, enhance surveillance, and collaborate closely with local communities to identify and capture the assailants.
The meeting was attended by high-ranking security officials, political figures from Benue, and respected traditional leaders.
The Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, described the situation in Benue as a deliberate and genocidal invasion by terrorist herdsmen, appealing to the President to act swiftly to protect the vulnerable populations. He stated that the attackers are on a mission to seize land in Benue, similar to what is happening in Plateau State.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, while renewing his call for the establishment of state police, also appealed to the Federal Government for a special intervention fund to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
The President said: “Let us meet again in Abuja. Let’s fashion out a framework for lasting peace. I am ready to invest in that peace. I assure you, we will find peace. We will convert this tragedy into prosperity.”
He continued: “I wanted to come here to commission projects, to reassure you of hope and prosperity,—not to see gloomy faces. But peace is vital for development. The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people.”
The President also addressed Governor Alia directly, stating: “Governor Alia, you were elected under the progressive banner to ensure peace, stability, and progress. You are not elected to bury people or comfort widows and orphans. We will work with you to achieve that peace. You must also work with us.”
He added: “Not everyone will like you in politics. They hate me, too—like hell. But here I am, still your President. I made a promise to protect democracy, freedom, and prosperity, even for my abusers and accusers. That’s leadership.”
Governor Alia expressed gratitude for the President’s visit and once again emphasized the need for a dedicated Federal Intervention Fund to help communities affected by continuous attacks. He explained that the fund would be crucial in helping victims rebuild their lives and in restoring destroyed infrastructure.
