•Queries police for not making any arrests yet 

•Tasks NIA, DSS DGs on intelligence

•Gives marching order to CDS: Flush criminals out of Benue 

•Directs formation of inclusive peace c’ttee

•Abbas urges arrest of suspects, commends president’s intervention 

•NEF, catholic laity, others condemn massacre

in Abuja and George Okohin Makurdi

Sambre, but confident and assertive, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, in Benue State, vowed to convert last weekend’s tragedy in the state, which claimed some 200 lives, into prosperity for the people.

This was part of his visit to commiserate with the government and people of Benue State over the recent killings in Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area.

The president, who promised to invest in the peace of the state, however, queried the police authorities for not having made any arrests since the killings to show some level of seriousness by the government.

Also, tasking the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed on intelligence gathering, Tinubu charged him to work with his counterpart in the Department of State Service (DSS), TosinAjayi, in other to apprehend those behind the crime.

The president further gave a marching order to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa to, without further delay, flush out all the criminal elements fomenting trouble in the state and environs.

Speaking during a town hall meeting with Benue stakeholders at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital, he assured the people of the federal government’s backing and his personal resolve to end the cycle of bloodshed

“I give you the assurance that we will find peace, we will convert this tragedy to prosperity again and again.

“I want the traditional rulers—the Tor Tiv, the Och’Idoma and others—to be included in this peace committee. I’m ready to invest in that peace. Let’s establish the committee of leaders. We cannot do without one another.

“Whatever we need to do, I will want us—this leadership committee now—we’ll meet in Abuja to really fashion out the nucleus of a lasting peace, and I’m ready to invest in that peace,”  presidentTinubu said.

Directing the CDS and other security agencies to smoke out the criminals wreaking havoc in the state, he thanked the military high command for their response so far but pressed for greater vigilance and coordination on the ground.

His words: “Christopher (Chief of Defence Staff), thank you very much. I watched your comments. I know you can’t be tired of staying in the bush, including Oluyede (Chief of Army Staff) and the Air Marshal.

“Thanks to all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground. Let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out,” even as he charged the heads of the intelligence agencies to improve their surveillance and response systems.

Further, Tinubu said, “DG NIA and DG DSS, retool your information channels and let’s have tangible intelligence that this will not occur again.”

The president also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of arrests by the police following the mass killings.

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

The president reiterated that his administration remained committed to national development, but noted that meaningful progress depended on peace and the protection of lives.

“We’ve been fastening our belts to give development to our country. It’s only when you make the people of your state the priority that you can plan good for them and you can execute good programmes,” he said.

Tinubu reaffirmed that the federal government would do all it takes to ensure Benue found healing and a path forward after the latest tragedy.

In the same breath, the president directed Governor Hyacinth Alia, to immediately constitute an inclusive peace committee to help restore calm following the massacre of over 200 persons in Yelewata community, Guma Local Government Area, by suspected armed herders.

He said the peace committee must include all stakeholders – former governors, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and even non-indigenes – and announced that he would personally be involved in its work.

He stressed that the peace effort would only be meaningful if it was broad-based and collaborative, calling for synergy with neighboring Nasarawa State, whose governor, AbdullahiSule, was also present at the meeting.

“The governor of Nasarawa is here and the governor of Benue is here, let’s create that synergy for peace, development, and prosperity. We’re here to govern, not to bury. We’re here to raise families, not to lose some,” he said.

The president, therefore, called on the people of Benue to support Alia at this critical moment, urging communities to also embrace peace and inclusion.

“This is a very critical time. The governor needs your help. Let’s have a committee with non-indigenes incorporated,” Tinubu pleaded.

He emphasised the importance of ranches to curb the indiscriminate movement of livestock, assuring the people that the federal government would provide the necessary support to the state government in setting up the ranches.

In his remarks, Alia appealed to Tinubu to back the creation of state police, highlighting it as a viable and sustainable approach to addressing insecurity. He said the governors needed the necessary tools to respond effectively to security challenges within their domains.

Alia also urged the federal government to establish a special intervention fund for communities affected by insurgency, to provide relief for displaced persons and mitigate their hardships.

On his part, the Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty, Professor James Ayatse, pleaded with the president to end what he described as genocide in Benue

He told the president  that the killings in Benue were not clashes between herders and farmers, but a planned attack aimed at taking over land.

The traditional ruler said many people had misunderstood the crisis and wrongly advised Benue citizens to stay calm and live peacefully with their neighbours.

“We do have grave concerns about the misinformation and misrepresentation of the security crisis in Benue State. We can’t farm without getting killed. Your Excellency, it’s not herders-farmers clashes, it’s not communal clashes, it’s not reprisal attacks or skirmishes,” he said.

He described the violence as a “calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign” by herder-terrorists and bandits that has lasted for decades.

“Wrong diagnosis will always lead to wrong treatment… We are dealing with something far more sinister than we think. It’s not about learning to live with your neighbours; it is dealing with a war.”

Abbas Urges Arrest, Commends Tinubu

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has condemned the recent mass killings in Benue State, describing the violence as “barbaric and unacceptable.”

He also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the attack.

In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa AbdullahiKrishi, Abbas backed Tinubu’s directive for security agencies to bring the attackers to justice.

He emphasised that justice remained the only path toward bringing some solace to the victims and affected communities.

Offering his condolences to the government and people of Benue State, Abbas expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and the destruction of property.

He urged security forces to act swiftly and decisively in apprehending and prosecuting those responsible.

He also commended Tinubu for personally visiting the state to conduct an on-the-spot assessment, describing the visit as a demonstration of true leadership.

He said the president’s directive to the heads of the military, paramilitary, and intelligence agencies should now be treated as a mandate requiring urgent compliance.

“I commiserate with the people of Benue, especially in Guma LGA, for the loss of their loved ones and livelihood in the gruesome and barbaric attacks on them. This incident is not only tragic but condemnable.

“Now that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has ordered the heads of the military, paramilitary, and intelligence agencies to get the suspect arrested, it is our hope that the victims will get justice,” he said.

Silence from Govt is Betrayal, Demands Urgent Action to Halt Bloodshed, Says NEF

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has condemned the wave of killings in Benue State, describing the situation as a “genocide” and a direct consequence of government inaction, political complicity, and systemic collapse.

In a statement by the spokesperson of NEF, Professor AbubakarJikaJiddere, the Forum decried the alarming scale of human loss and suffering across Benue.

It warned that the state, once a pillar of agricultural productivity and economic stability, is now descending into lawlessness and despair.

“The situation has degenerated into unrestrained bloodshed and lawlessness, turning communities into killing fields and exposing the utter collapse of governance, accountability, and security.

“Benue State, one of Nigeria’s critical agricultural hubs, plays a vital role in national food production, youth and women employment, and economic stability. Today, this once-thriving state is under siege.

“The lives of its innocent citizens are being violently cut short, and its socio-economic structure is being systematically destroyed, while the government stands by in silence, helplessness, or worse, complicity.

“The NEF is outraged by the continued massacres. In just recent days, over 150 people were slaughtered in the Yelewata community. In Guma and Logo local government areas, another 200 lives were wiped out.

“Thousands have been displaced into squalid, unsafe IDP camps with no access to healthcare, clean water, or basic necessities. Medical services are overstretched and collapsing. Women, children, and the elderly are dying in silence while the government looks away.

“Let it be clearly stated: this is not an ethnic conflict, as it is deceptively portrayed. It is an internal political crisis, one that has been allowed to fester due to criminal negligence, partisan interests, and a complete failure of leadership.

“The deliberate attempt to reframe this politically driven violence as an ethnic or communal issue is dishonest, irresponsible, and dangerous. It deflects from the truth and emboldens those behind these atrocities.”

Catholic Laity Council Urges United Action

The Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN), has urged the federal and state governments to take a firm stance against the cycle of violence that has claimed thousands of lives and devastated countless communities.

In a statement by its acting National President, Martins Braimah and National Secretary, Dame ChisaraEgwim-Chima, the CLCN said current happenings in Benue had necessitated an urgent action by government to address the atrocities and hold security agencies accountable for its actions or inactions.

Highlighting some of the root causes of violent conflict in Benue State, CLCN said the crisis had deep roots in historical grievances, disputes over land usage, and ethnic tensions.

According to the Council, while these factors had existed for decades, recent escalations in violence had been driven by a complex interplay of climate change impacting agricultural practices, economic disparities, and political instability.

“In recent years, Nigeria has faced an alarming surge in violence, particularly in rural areas such as Benue State, where clashes between farmers and herders have become a grim reality.

“The landscape of Benue State serves as a stark reminder of the struggles faced by many Nigerian communities. Murders, kidnappings, and violent clashes have led to the loss of innocent lives and the displacement of entire families.

“The phrase ‘sacrificial ground’ illustrates both the senseless loss of life and the resignation felt by many who witness these tragedies without governmental intervention.

“The CLCN in speaking out against this violence, reiterates the call for peace and justice for all Nigerians, regardless of their ethnic or religious affiliations. It demands accountability from leaders, urging them to prioritize the safety and well-being of their citizens over political gains and tribal loyalties,” it said.

‘Killings in Benue and Other States Could Have Consequences If Not Stopped Now’

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has called for the stoppage of the killings in Benue State and other states, explaining that it could generate severe consequences, if not holistically stopped.

In an interview in Abuja with newsmen, he said it was a clarion call that this comedy show of killings called politics has to stop, adding that it has a consequence that could affect the nation in the future.

‘’It has practical consequences, lives are wasted unabated. It shouldn’t be about wail and wail and mourning, at another time it get worst. The causes are known and are preventable, the solution is good governance,’’ he said.

On the defection of politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he said, “The so-called defections are sometimes coming out of closet for people claiming to be opposition because they’ve been compulsorily retired unto the opposition and not by choice.

‘’If you are in opposition by choice, you have access to the ruling party but you don’t agree with them because of the interest of the Nigerian people.

“There is zero risk of you defecting because it will be borne out of conviction that the fundamental problems, disagreement, corruption, poverty, insecurity and poor ethics are not eliminated,’’ he stressed.

Foundation Demands Justice, Strengthening of Security Forces

A nongovernmental organisation, Building Blocks for Peace Foundation (BBFORPEACE) has demanded justice on behalf of those who lost their lives in the the recent Benue attacks.

It also said there was need to strengthen the presence of well-equipped, professional, and neutral security forces in Guma LGA and other flashpoints across Benue State to prevent further attacks and protect vulnerable populations.

Executive Director of BBFORPEACE, RafiuAdeniranLawal, who made the call in a statement yesterday, said if such impunity must end, there was also the need to ensure prompt arrest and prosecution of all those involved in all the attacks, as well as those who fund, arm, or shield the perpetrators and hold them accountable without exception.

Afterwards, he said, the government should provide immediate humanitarian support to displaced families and relocate Internally Displaced Persons in high-risk zones like Yelewata to safer and better-secured environments.

“The Federal Government should launch an independent judicial panel of inquiry into the Yelewata and Daudu attacks to uncover the perpetrators, the extent of negligence by security forces, and the failure of early warning mechanisms.

“The Government must urgently finalise and implement a comprehensive strategy on addressing farmer-herder conflicts, including land-use reforms, regulated grazing solutions, and justice-based reconciliation mechanisms.”

Military, Police Partner NigComSat on Satellite Technology against Criminals

The Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other security agencies have initiated collaborative efforts with the Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NigComSat) to combat banditry, terrorism and other forms of  insecurity across the country, using satellite technology.

The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), KayodeEgbetokun, who disclosed this in Abuja, explained that deploying satellite assets and other technology innovations had become imperative for the country to tackle insecurity in the country effectively and decisively.

Musa and Egbetokun spoke at the launch of the NigComSat Accelerator programme 2025, noted that  a collaboration between NigComSat and the security agencies was highly needed.

This, they said, was due to the current security challenges and the need  to fight insecurity, especially in the area of deploying space technology.

The theme of the NigComSat Accelerator programme was “Innovation in Orbit: Empowering the Next Generation of Space-Tech Entrepreneurs”.

The CDS was represented at the event by the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, Defence Headquarters,  Air Vice Marshall Vincent NkemAguiyi,

He said, “For the Armed Forces of Nigeria, this translates into an opportunity to deepen partnerships with innovators, who can help build tools and systems that enhance national resilience and security.

“I am particularly pleased with the emphasis on Al, space technology and digital transformation. These areas are critical domains that will define the future of our defence and security architecture.

“As threats become more asymmetric and complex, our responses must be more intelligent, data-driven, and adaptive.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria reaffirms its readiness to collaborate with technology-based enterprises, research institutions, and industry leaders in the co-creation of solutions that will help secure our borders, protect our national assets, and promote peace and stability across the country.”