Tinubu Sets Up Peace Committee to Address Benue Massacre, Urges Urgent Security Action
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday established a high-level peace committee to restore lasting peace in Benue State following the massacre in Yelewata community, Guma LGA, where around 200 people — including women and children — were brutally killed by armed assailants.
The committee includes prominent figures such as Gen. Atom Kpera (retd.), Senator George Akume, Senator Gabriel Suswam, and Samuel Ortom, all former governors of Benue. Also appointed are the state’s paramount traditional rulers, Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, and Ochidoma, Dr. John Elaigwu.
At a town hall meeting in Makurdi, Tinubu met with state stakeholders, including political leaders, traditional rulers, and regional governors. He emphasized that the killings must stop and urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to lead the peace initiative with support from all sides — including non-indigenes living in Benue.
“We’re here to govern, not to bury people,” Tinubu said, vowing to invest in peace and demanding the arrest of those responsible.
“Let us turn this tragedy into prosperity,” he added.
Tinubu also ordered the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff to immediately track down the perpetrators. He called on intelligence agencies to enhance surveillance and deliver results.
The President urged the state to allocate land for ranching and directed the Minister of Agriculture to support the process. During his visit to Benue Teaching Hospital, he called for blood donations for the wounded.
The Tor Tiv, Prof. Ayatse, stated the crisis was not merely a farmer-herder clash but a coordinated campaign of land grabbing and genocide. He warned that misrepresenting the violence had led to weak responses.
“This is not communal violence — it’s a genocidal invasion by herder-terrorists,” he told Tinubu.
He appealed to the President to end the violence so farmers could return to their lands.
Outrage Grows Over Government Inaction
Groups such as the Northern Elders Forum and Concerned Christian Youth Forum condemned the killings, calling them signs of systemic collapse, negligence, and political complicity. The NEF described the situation in Benue as “genocide,” urging immediate, nationwide reforms to restore peace and security.
Meanwhile, Governor Alia appealed for a Special Intervention Fund to support displaced communities and rebuild destroyed infrastructure. He reaffirmed support for state policing and committed to securing Benue.
The President’s visit and the formation of a multi-stakeholder peace committee signal a renewed national focus on Benue’s deepening security crisis, amid pressure from civil society and international observers for decisive action.
