President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to prioritize peace and development, emphasizing that governance should not be overshadowed by recurring violence and mass burials.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi on Wednesday, Tinubu called on the governor to establish a peace committee to help address the root causes of the state’s insecurity.
“You were elected under the progressive banner to ensure peace, stability, and progress. You are not elected to bury people or comfort widows and orphans. We will work with you to achieve that peace. You must also work with us,” Tinubu told Governor Alia.
The meeting was attended by top dignitaries, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, traditional rulers, former governors, and governors from Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, and Nasarawa states.
“We were elected to govern, not to bury people,” the President stressed.
“The value of human life is greater than that of a cow.”
He urged Governor Alia to provide land for ranching and instructed the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to ensure follow-up.
The President also requested blood donations to aid those injured in the recent attacks, who are currently receiving treatment at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, where he had earlier visited.
“I wanted to come here to commission projects, to reassure you of hope and prosperity, not to see gloomy faces. But peace is vital to development,” Tinubu added.
He also proposed a follow-up meeting in Abuja to develop a lasting peace strategy: “Let us meet again in Abuja. Let’s fashion out a framework for lasting peace. I am ready to invest in that peace. I assure you, we will find peace. We will convert this tragedy into prosperity.”
In his remarks, Governor Alia appealed for federal support to help rebuild communities devastated by violence.
“Your Excellency, while we continue to mourn our losses and rebuild from the ashes of pain, we humbly urge the Federal Government to consider establishing a special intervention fund for communities affected by these incessant attacks in Benue State,” Alia said.
He explained that such a fund would assist with the rehabilitation of displaced people, rebuilding of homes and infrastructure, and restoration of livelihoods, particularly for farmers.
The governor also reaffirmed his stance on the need for state policing as a long-term security solution and committed to working toward a safer and more prosperous Benue.
The Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse, also spoke at the meeting.
He lauded Tinubu for being the first sitting President to visit victims in the hospital following such violence and acknowledged his inclusion of Benue indigenes in high-level federal appointments.
He, however, took a firm stand on the ongoing violence in the state.
“Your Excellency, it is not herder-farmer clashes. It is not communal clashes. It is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes.”
“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder-terrorists and bandits.”
Prof. Ayatse criticized the misrepresentation of the crisis and accused certain political actors of exploiting the situation for their own agenda.
“We hear that some politicians would even prefer that the crisis worsens, so it would serve as a basis for declaring a state of emergency. This is unfortunate.”
“Any politician who prays for more people to die for such a project is working against the wishes of the people of Benue State,” he said.
Appealing directly to President Tinubu, he said: “All we ask of you, sir, is to stop our weeping. Give us peace in Benue State, so our people, primarily farmers, can return to their farms and continue to produce food for Nigeria.
“I heard a story about a challenge in a place in Kwara State, and you rose and gave them peace in Kaiama. You can do that for Benue.”
