The President Bola Tinubu has demanded swift actions following the last Friday’s violence within Yelewata, Benue State. Security officers have been given the mandate to take action against those responsible and bring peace.
He gave the directive in a townhall meeting attended by local leaders. He spoke straight to the Head of the Defence Staff: “Let’s get these criminals. Let’s take them out.”
The president also assigned Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia with organizing reconciliation talks between the farming as well as herding community. The president described the attack as “inhuman” and called them an attack on advancement and to peace.
Tinubu cautioned against the use of rash statements made by political figures and urged officials to refrain from stirring up tension. Tinubu said it’s the right time for leaders for the government to “act decisively and arrest perpetrators on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them.”
Security forces, including police, intelligence units and the military have been deployed to Benue. Tinubu has plans to visit the state in order to evaluate relief efforts and to meet with patients at the hospital in Makurdi in the coming weeks.
