President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced his intention to form a leadership committee to help bring lasting peace to Benue State which has faced a wave of attacks by suspected herdsmen over the years.
He said the committee, which would include the Tor Tiv V, Och’Idoma, and other traditional rulers in the state, would meet in Abuja to find a solution to the crisis that has persisted for many years.
Tinubu said this in Makurdi during his visit to Benue State following last Friday attack in Yelwata community which claimed the lives of over 50 people.
At a stakeholders’ meeting at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Makurdi, Tinubu declared his intention to find a lasting peace in the North Central state.
“I will want us to create this leadership committee now and then we meet in Abuja to really fashion out the nucleus for a lasting peace, and I’m ready to invest in that peace,” Tinubu said at the meeting.
“And I want the traditional rulers, Tor Tiv and Ochidoma to be included in this peace committee. I think by now you will be bored of hearing my voice, but I give you the assurance, we will find peace, we will convert this tragedy to prosperity.”
Tinubu emphasised the need for all Nigerians to unite against common enemies instead of fighting among themselves.
Also at the meeting, President Tinubu mandated the country’s service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to go after those behind the dastardly killings in Benue State.
“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals.
“Christopher (the Chief of Defence Staff), you have given much. I watch your comments, you can’t be tired of staying in the bush.
Oloyede and the Air Marshal, we thank all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground, let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out. DG NIA, DG SSS, retool your information channels, and let’s have tangible intelligence so that this will not occur again.”
Before the meeting, the President visited the victims of the Yelwata attack at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi.
The stakeholders meeting was attended by the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, some of his counterparts from other states, the Tor Tiv V, James Ayatse, the service chiefs, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, among several others.