Benue killings: What Tinubu told Gov Alia, Akume, others to do

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a bold step toward addressing the persistent insecurity in Benue State, ordering the establishment of a reconciliatory committee to chart a path toward peace and unity.

During a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held Wednesday in Makurdi, the President directed Governor Hyacinth Alia to assemble a committee of respected elders, including former governors of the state, and present them to him in Abuja for further deliberation.

“I will invest in it,” Tinubu stated, signaling his personal commitment to resolving the crisis that has led to devastating loss of lives and mass displacement in the state.

In a strong message to the security forces, President Tinubu charged agencies to live up to expectations, insisting that all criminal elements terrorizing communities must be flushed out without delay.

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He said, “All politics is local. You are here to work for peace. Nobody will like you in politics. They hate me like hell, but I am President. I will even protect my haters with the principles of democracy.
“You were elected as one out of millions of Tiv, Idoma, and other tribes to work hard, night and day. Work around the corners of your enemies. You are to work hard and pray as a father — you are a father to all of us, including me, since you do not have a nuclear family.

“We should fight our enemies together, not each other. As governor, you bear the yoke — that is part of leadership. You must go round and seek out these leaders. Ask them questions and seek solutions.
“Our tolerance level and value for human lives is greater than that for cows, and it is when you open the doors that political enemies can come in.

“I learn lessons from critical abuse. The mouths of my critics prompt me to do more. That makes them failures and me a performer.

“Create synergy for peace and development to thrive. Fasten your belt for development. Make the people your priority — that is when you can execute good projects. You no longer borrow to pay salaries.
“Benue people deserve peace. Please announce in a statewide broadcast for people to donate blood to the survivors I visited at the Teaching Hospital.”

While challenging security agencies, the President faced the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and asked why no arrests had been made.

He also ordered the Director-Generals of the DSS and NSIA to be alert and review their strategies to ensure such incidents do not happen again.

The President lamented the carnage, saying, “I saw the carnage on camera, and it was enough for me to abort my trip to Kaduna to do something about it.
“We arrived here seeing gloomy faces. This is not the kind of faces I would like to see. I want to come here to commission projects and bring joy, but we are here to help you with peace, which is vital for development.”

The President said the situation in the state was about land grabbing but insisted that there is enough land to accommodate and feed everyone.

He called on leaders to sincerely reflect on the national anthem, which says, “Though tongue and tribe may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” stating that this must be reflected in leaders’ character, in developing the people and preaching unity.

The President also advised the governor to constitute a reconciliatory committee comprising former governors, including Gen. Atom Kpera, the Tor Tiv, the Och’Idoma, and other stakeholders, to find a permanent solution.

“Let us find a way to form a committee of elders comprising past governors. Bring them to me, and I will invest in it.”

President Tinubu, who recalled his experience as governor of Lagos State, advised the governor to adopt an attitude that would turn the tragedy in the state into economic prosperity.

“When I was in the saddle in Lagos, there were some situations like this, but I went in and turned the tragedy into economic prosperity,” he said.

The President also requested the governor to provide land for establishing a cattle ranch, saying, “When we leave office, we will be sharing the profit.”

Earlier, Governor Hyacinth Alia, in his speech, urged the Federal Government to consider establishing a special intervention fund for communities affected by the incessant attacks in the state.

He noted that such a fund would go a long way in rehabilitating displaced persons.

He also reiterated his support for the establishment of state police as a sustainable solution to the persistent insecurity in the state and possibly elsewhere.

According to him, notwithstanding the concerns surrounding its implementation, the Federal Government could address them by setting clear, state-specific guidelines and regulatory frameworks to prevent potential misuse.

He said, “Your Excellency, while we continue to mourn our losses and rebuild from the ashes of pain, I urge the Federal Government to consider establishing a special intervention fund for communities affected by these incessant attacks, to support the rehabilitation of displaced persons, rebuild destroyed infrastructure, and restore the livelihoods of our farmers and families whose lives have been upended.
“Our administration will keep working to ensure that our people are not only safe but can thrive again on their own land.

“Let me also reiterate my firm support for the establishment of state police as a sustainable solution to the persistent insecurity in our state and perhaps elsewhere.
“While I acknowledge the concerns surrounding its implementation, I believe the Federal Government can address these by setting clear, state-specific guidelines and regulatory frameworks to prevent any potential misuse.”

In his remarks, the Tor Tiv and Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty Professor James Ayatse, described the rising insecurity in the state as a “well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion” rather than communal clashes or reprisal attacks.

The Tor Tiv called on President Tinubu to end the carnage, stating that the attackers intended to wipe out Benue indigenes.

According to him, “It’s not communal clashes. It’s not reprisal attacks. What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and vandalism campaign by pseudo-terrorists and bandits, which has been on for decades and worsens every year.
Wrong diagnosis will always lead to wrong treatment. So we are dealing with something far more sinister than we think.”

The monarch also accused some political actors of complicity in the crisis, saying some wished for the violence to fester to justify a state of emergency.

“Politicians in the state are busy politicising the crisis and passing blame instead of joining hands to address it. We hear there are some politicians who even prefer that the crisis should worsen so it can justify the declaration of a state of emergency,” he said.

He passionately reminded the President of Benue’s historical sacrifices for Nigeria’s unity, including the significant human cost paid during the civil war.

“What has Benue done to deserve this? Why are we being treated like this? We are not asking for too much. We are asking for peace — the peace to live, to farm, and to feed the nation.”

While appealing to the President to bring his political will to bear in ending the carnage, the royal father commended him for the decisive decisions he had made on issues such as fuel subsidy and exchange rates.

“You have shown courage where others failed. You can give us peace. You can stop our weeping. Benue is bleeding. Give us back our lives.”

(Tribune)