Tinubu orders Security Chiefs to enforce peace in Benue, tasks Alia on reconciliation

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the ongoing bloodshed in Benue State, describing the senseless killings as “inhuman and anti-progress.”

In a renewed effort to restore order, the President directed security chiefs to fully enforce his earlier orders aimed at stabilising the troubled state. The fresh directive follows a new wave of reprisal attacks that reportedly claimed the lives of over 200 people.

Following his instructions, security operatives, including intelligence officers, police, and military personnel, have been deployed to Benue to take charge of operations and restore peace.

The President also charged Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, with convening reconciliation meetings and initiating dialogue among all stakeholders to end the violence and encourage peaceful coexistence between farmers, herders, and local communities.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu warned political and community leaders in the affected areas to desist from reckless statements capable of inciting further violence.

“The killings and bloodletting in Benue are inhuman and anti-progress,” Tinubu said. “We must not allow this carnage to continue. I have directed security agencies to act decisively, apprehend the perpetrators on all sides, and prosecute them.”

He urged leaders in Benue to take responsibility for calming tensions and discouraging provocative actions that could lead to retaliatory attacks.

“This is the moment for Governor Alia to rise as a statesman and lead a genuine process of dialogue and reconciliation. Our people deserve peace, and this can be achieved when leaders work together in fairness, openness, and justice,” the President added.