Special security forces on Sunday landed in Benue State to battle terrorists and halt the spate of killings and other forms of violence across the local governments.
The combined security team is made up of intelligence agencies, the police and the military.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mandated them to take control of the security operations.
Their deployment followed a fresh directive by the President to the security chiefs to implement without delay his earlier instructions that lasting peace should be restored to the troubled Northcentral state.
President Tinubu also implored Benue political leaders to close ranks and cooperate with security agencies in their bid to put an end to the tension.
“The latest news of wanton killings in Benue State is very depressing. We must not allow this bloodletting to continue unabated. Enough is now enough,” the President said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
He urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to rise to the occasion by initiating a robust reconciliation with aggrieved groups in the state.
“This is the time for Governor Alia to act as a statesman and immediately lead the process of dialogue and reconciliation that will bring peace to Benue.
“Our people must live in peace, and it is possible when leaders across the divides work together in harmony and differences are identified and addressed with fairness, openness and justice,” President Tinubu added.
Aggrieved youths protested the persistent killings and other forms of violence in the state, blocking highways in Makurdi, the state capital.
The protesters, who converged on the Wurukum Roundabout in the town, urged the Federal Government to save the state from the bandits, arsonists and other unknown gunmen.
They also urged security agencies to redouble their efforts to ensure that all displaced people return to their ancestral homes and continue with their normal lives.
Their spokesman, Brahms Ikuan, said the state had been under siege for a long time, adding that the government’s response has been slow.
Miffed by the prolonged agony, distress and fear, Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims for justice and peace to prevail over tension.
No fewer than 200 people, including five security personnel, internally displaced persons (IDPs), children and women, were killed over the weekend in a bloody attack by suspected terrorists in Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government.
The invaders stormed Yelewata in their numbers from two fronts and, after overpowering the youths and the Police who stood up against them, opened fire on defenceless IDPs who were taking refuge in market stalls and other community members.
Also, many farmers were killed, with some reportedly burned alive in makeshift shelters.
Reports said there is no synergy between the Benue authorities and federal security agencies on modalities for halting the killings and violence.
The attack came less than 48 hours after the killing of 25 people in Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities in Makurdi local government.
Concerned Nigerians, who are worried by the spate of bloody attacks, have called for a state of emergency to be declared on the security situation by the Federal Government, but without suspending the governor.
The Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) condemned the bloodletting and called for a clampdown on the killer gangs.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who expressed dismay at the pattern of bloodshed, urged the government to nip the violence in the bud.
In its renewed determination to bring the ugly situation under control, Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun had moved to the state to coordinate police operations before the fresh presidential directive.
The President described the persistent violence between farming communities, herders, and other local groups as “inhuman and anti-progress,” saying that no meaningful development can occur in an environment beset by bloodshed.
He also decried the inflammatory remarks by political and community leaders in the affected areas, which had only deepened the divisions.
“Political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings.
“They should also rein in those who go out to cause provocations and ignite reprisal attacks,” the President said.
President Tinubu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring peace in the region, stressing that justice would be pursued on all fronts and perpetrators held accountable.
Special forces already in Benue, says Alia
Alia confirmed that a combined team of tactical and response squads has started arriving in the state to address the security challenges.
The governor, who announced the deployment in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula, said the special forces and additional security deployments were for vulnerable areas.
He condemned the attacks and massacre of innocent citizens at Yelwata by suspected criminal herders.
Alia said: “I acknowledge and share in your pains and grief caused by these attacks on the community by criminal elements suspected to be armed herdsmen.
“The state government is consistently engaging with federal security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen security interventions and provide lasting solutions to these persistent attacks.
“We assure citizens that more tactical teams have started arriving in Benue from the Federal Government, and additional security deployments are being arranged for vulnerable areas.
“Response squad teams are also deployed and will be in Benue from Sunday; strategic community dialogues are ongoing to enhance active intelligence sharing.
“The state’s joint operations units are also being strengthened, and the government will not relent in its utmost commitment to defending the lives and properties.”
Alia urged religious, traditional and political leaders to sensitise and guide the youths under their influence against unlawful gatherings or confrontations that may spiral out of control.
The governor appealed to the public to make use of official communication channels to report any suspicious activities and to stay informed through credible sources.
Pope prays for peace in Benue
Speaking before the Sunday Angelus prayer, the Pope, who prayed for Nigeria, said he was particularly thinking of the “rural Christian communities of the Benue State who have been relentless victims of violence”.
“I pray that security, justice and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country so affected by various forms of violence.
“I pray in a special way for the rural communities in Benue state who have been unceasingly the victims of violence,” he said.
Northern CAN urges total war against killer-gangs
The CAN in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) urged President Tinubu to take decisive action against the killer gangs.
The group said in a statement by its Secretary General, Elder Sunday Oibe, that violent activities perpetrated by criminal ‘herdsmen’ and Boko Haram terrorists have made life increasingly unbearable for innocent citizens.
Protesting youths block highways in Makurdi
Youths who took to the streets in Makurdi said despite the useful information about the movement of the attackers and reports to authorities, nothing was done to avert the attacks.
Ikuan accused the authorities of maintaining a conspiratorial silence on the ongoing genocide, adding that Benue may cease to exist if urgent steps are not taken to end the killings.
“We cried, sent messages and opened letters, but nobody listened to us. Nobody came to our aid. At this moment, we are not sure if there will be any place called Benue tomorrow.
“Despite the attacks and killings in Yelwata, up till now, no word from the government or any prominent person. They have abandoned us.
“We want the world to know that Benue is being wiped out on the face of the earth and nobody cares about what is happening,” he said.
Also, a youth, Gideon Inyom, accused the government of giving the herders unfettered access to the Benue communities by relaxing the state’s anti-open grazing law.
However, Commissioner of Police, Emenari Ifeanyi, said the IGP had taken over the security of the state.
Ifeanyi said the IGP has already deployed special forces to the state to end the attacks and killings.
He added that security agencies were on top of the situation, urging the youths and Benue people to give the new forces a chance.
“What you saw happening in Yelewata is because we have taken over Apa, Gwer West, and are moving seriously in Agatu.
“They just want to do something to show that they are in control, while they are not and will never be.
“We are feeling more pain than you. We are here to protect lives and property.
“We have security everywhere now; even in Yelwata, there are tactical teams in the bush even before the attack.
“Give the special forces and tactical teams a room to work. If you prolong your stay here, you are giving the enemies more time to plan.
“We have intelligence reports of their movement, and we are blocking them, and you will see the result.”
Ifeanyi further explained that Alia has given them all the logistics support needed to restore peace in Benue.
Deputy gov, VeryDarkMan address protesters
The Deputy Governor, Sam Ode and Social Media activist, Very Dark Man, VDM, who addressed the protesters, pleaded with them to withdraw from the streets and clear the barricades on major streets.
Very Dark Man himself joined security agencies to clear woods, tyres and stones from the roads to make way for a free flow of traffic.
Police fire tear gas
Police operatives in Makurdi dispersed protesters using tear gas during a demonstration against renewed attacks in the state.
The protest, held at the Wurukum roundabout on Sunday, was organised in response to the killings.
Protesters, dressed in black clothing and carrying fresh leaves, gathered to demand urgent action from authorities to address the recurring violence in the state.
The demonstration, under the hashtag #StopBenueKillings, attracted a large crowd and drew the attention of security agencies.
The CP Ifeanyi addressed the protesters before the crowd was dispersed.
He appealed for calm and assured the demonstrators that security agencies were working to apprehend the attackers.
The commissioner also advised against prolonged protests, stating that it could interfere with security operations.
“I was monitoring and at the checking point for more than six hours. Tell your people to calm down, we need to support the youth and everybody in Benue State.
“It is a phase, and we are passing through it already. We have already cut the head of the snake, and we will get the peace that we deserve.
“Instead of being in the bush with other security agencies, we are here.
“If you prolong your actions here, you’re giving opportunity for the enemies to plan.
“We have intelligence of their movement, and we are blocking them.”
Shortly after his address, videos of protesters being teargassed by the police surfaced on social media.
“There are security trucks stationed at the Wurukum roundabout in Makurdi, where the #StopBenueKillings protesters gathered, and a helicopter is hovering over them,” a protester said in one of the videos.
“If this energy were directed toward securing lives in the state, residents wouldn’t be protesting. Protesters have, as usual, been tear-gassed and dispersed.”
As canisters hissed through the air, protesters fled in different directions, coughing and shielding their faces.
A police helicopter hovered overhead with several patrol vans stationed at strategic locations in the state capital.
Suswan decries killings
Former Governor Gabriel Suswam expressed dismay at the devastating attacks, urging the Federal and state governments to devise a lasting solution to the protracted crisis.
He said in a statement by his media aide, Bede Batholomew, that a collective action, rather than futile accusations or blame-shifting, is required to restore normalcy.
Victims need support, says Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku, in a statement posted on his X account, said the killings underscored the escalating insecurity crisis facing Nigeria.
He said: “I urge the Federal Government and Benue State authorities to launch a prompt, transparent investigation into the attack. The identities of the perpetrators must be swiftly uncovered and justice served.”
He also called for an engagement with affected communities through dialogue with the traditional leadership and civil society to restore confidence and foster resilience.
Atiku said compensation and support, including medical aid, trauma counselling, and livelihood restoration, should be accelerated for survivors and bereaved families.
He added: “This assault on innocent Nigerians is not just a local tragedy; it is a national emergency that demands immediate attention and decisive action.
“I call on all Nigerians, regardless of tribe or religion, to unite in condemning this atrocity.
“We must hold our leaders accountable and insist on sustainable solutions to the violent tragedies claiming lives across the country.
“May God comfort the grieving families, heal our nation, and help us reclaim peace and security for all.”
