Yelewata killings: What Tinubu said on his visit to Benue

By Chioma Obinagwam

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to swiftly arrest the killer herders responsible for the brutal murder of over 100 people in Yelewata, Benue State.

Confiance News gathered from a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday.

The directive was issued during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, attended by the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume, traditional rulers, former Benue governors, and the governors of Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, and Nasarawa.
Tinubu directly questioned the Inspector General on the lack of progress in apprehending the culprits.

“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,” he said. He also instructed the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to enhance surveillance and gather intelligence to capture the perpetrators.

Emphasizing the need for community-security collaboration, Tinubu advised Governor Hyacinth Alia to establish a peace committee comprising former governors, elders, traditional rulers, federal officials, and non-indigenes. “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 said.

Tinubu directed Governor Alia to allocate land for ranching, with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security tasked to follow up. He also called for blood donations to aid victims at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, where he visited earlier. Stressing the primacy of peace, he said, “I wanted to come here to commission projects, to reassure you of hope and prosperity, not to see gloomy faces. But peace is vital to development.” He added, “The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people.”

Urging Alia to collaborate with the federal government, Tinubu said, “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 acknowledged political challenges, stating, “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 requested a Special Intervention Fund to aid communities hit by repeated attacks. “Your Excellency, while we continue to mourn our losses and rebuild from the ashes of pain, we humbly urge the Federal Government to consider establishing a special intervention fund for communities affected by these incessant attacks in Benue State,” he said. The fund would support displaced persons, rebuild infrastructure, and restore livelihoods, particularly for farmers. Alia also endorsed state police as a solution to insecurity and pledged to build a safe, prosperous Benue.

The Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse, commended Tinubu as the first sitting President to visit victims in the hospital after such a tragedy. He praised the appointments of Benue indigenes, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, and expressed hope for more. Addressing the crisis, he clarified, “Your Excellency, it is not herder-farmer clashes. It is not communal clashes. It is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes. What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder-terrorists and bandits.”

Ayatse warned against mischaracterizing the conflict, which he said has led to inadequate responses, and accused some politicians of exploiting the crisis. “We hear that some politicians would even prefer that the crisis worsens, so it would serve as a basis for declaring a state of emergency. This is unfortunate. Any politician who prays for more people to die for such a project is working against the wishes of the people of Benue State,” he said. He urged Tinubu to restore peace, stating, “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 continue to produce food for Nigeria. I heard a story about a challenge in a place in Kwara State, and you rose and gave them peace in Kaiama. You can do that for Benue.”