Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, on Monday arrived in Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, which recently witnessed a deadly attack that left dozens dead.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the visit by the CDS follows a wave of coordinated assaults by suspected armed herders and bandits across several Benue communities.
During his trip, General Musa is expected to meet with Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, at the Government House before departing the state.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, is also slated to arrive in Benue for a separate working visit aimed at addressing the region’s escalating security crisis.
DAILY GAZETTE earlier reported that the recent attacks led to the deaths of no fewer than 100 people.
In the wake of the violence, enraged youths from Yelwata mounted roadblocks along the Lafia-Makurdi highway in protest.
The demonstrations extended into Sunday morning in Makurdi, the state capital, where security forces reportedly used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Reacting to the bloodshed, President Bola Tinubu took to his official X handle on Sunday night to condemn the violence and urge immediate action from state leaders.
“I have been briefed on the senseless bloodletting in Benue State. Enough is enough! I have directed the security agencies to act decisively, arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict, and prosecute them,” the president said.
In the same statement, Tinubu instructed Governor Alia to take the lead in fostering peace and reconciliation.
“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,” he urged.
The president also appealed to political and community leaders to exercise restraint in their public statements, warning that inciting comments could aggravate an already volatile situation.
“Political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings,” Tinubu stated.
Emphasizing the need for unity, he added: “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.”
