President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived Makurdi, the Benue State capital, ahead of his visit to Yelewata.
Naijaonpoint reports that ahead of his arrival, top political figures, security chiefs, and traditional rulers gathered at the Benue State Government House Banquet Hall in Makurdi, and at Yelewata—the epicentre of the most recent killings.
According to a detailed itinerary, the President will first head to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area, where gunmen launched a brutal attack last Friday, killing at least 100 people and displacing hundreds more. Amnesty International and local officials have described the massacre as one of the worst the state has seen in recent years.
President Tinubu is expected to meet with grieving families, displaced persons, and community leaders who have borne the brunt of the violence. He will also visit the hospital treating survivors with gunshot and burn injuries.
Following the visit to Yelewata, Tinubu will proceed to the Government House Banquet Hall in Makurdi to preside over a town hall meeting involving critical stakeholders from across political, security, traditional, and civil society circles.
Among those expected at the meeting are governors from the North Central zone, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, APC National Chairman Dr. Umar Ganduje, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume—a former Benue Governor.
Also in attendance are former Governor Samuel Ortom (2015–2023), members of the APC National Working Committee, federal lawmakers representing affected communities, and members of the Benue State House of Assembly.
Traditional rulers from across the state, the Executive Chairmen of all 23 LGAs, religious leaders, party executives, and representatives of civil society organisations have all been mobilised for the session.
The attack on Yelewata village occurred late Friday, June 13, when heavily armed men stormed the community, shooting indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze.
Amnesty International and state officials report that over 100 villagers were killed, with dozens still unaccounted for. Many victims were internally displaced persons who had earlier fled violence in neighbouring areas, only to be caught up in another deadly raid.
Emergency workers confirmed that hundreds of survivors are nursing various degrees of injuries, while the state government has since launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.