Tinubu Orders Prosecution of Yelewata Attackers During Visit to Benue

Tinubu Orders Immediate Prosecution of Benue Attackers During Visit to Makurdi

President Tinubu has directed security agencies to immediately identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible for the deadly attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The directive was issued during the President’s official visit to Makurdi on Tuesday, where he met with state officials, traditional rulers, and heads of security formations amid tight security and visible signs of grief.

Describing the massacre, which claimed over 100 lives, as “inhumane and unacceptable,” President Tinubu tasked the Nigerian Police, military intelligence, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to fast-track investigations and deliver justice without delay.

He also openly queried the absence of arrests days after the attack, challenging security operatives to account for their response timeline. “How come no arrest has been made?” the President asked during a closed-door meeting with state security chiefs, according to sources present at the session.

Despite heavy rainfall and flash flooding reported in parts of Makurdi earlier that morning, the President proceeded with his visit as scheduled. Eyewitnesses told Confluence Icon TV that the presidential convoy made its way through rain-drenched roads and submerged intersections, a move some observers interpreted as symbolic of his determination to reach a state in mourning.

During his stay, President Tinubu met with Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House before proceeding to address victims’ families and traditional leaders. He promised enhanced federal collaboration to prevent future attacks, including the deployment of more personnel to security flashpoints across the North Central region.

The Benue State Government had declared June 18 a public holiday ahead of the visit, with civil servants and students lining the streets to receive the President. Despite the sombre circumstances surrounding the event, schoolchildren and local residents were seen waving flags and banners under the rain.

While his reception drew mixed public reactions, some describing it as overly celebratory, the Presidency maintained that the visit served both symbolic and operational purposes to console, to assess, and to act.

In a brief media interaction before his departure, the President reiterated his commitment to restoring peace in Nigeria’s rural belts, where violent clashes between farming communities and suspected armed herders have continued to escalate.

With this visit, expectations are now focused on what follows. Security agencies are under direct presidential pressure to deliver tangible results in the days ahead. Human rights groups and local leaders are also calling for expanded resettlement support for displaced persons and long-term strategies to end cyclical violence in Benue and across the Middle Belt.