Benue Stakeholders Demand Military Battalion, Justice as Tinubu Visits
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| Benue Stakeholders Demand Military Battalion, Justice as Tinubu Visits |
As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visits Benue State today to assess the escalating violence that has claimed over 100 lives in Yelewata, stakeholders are calling for urgent, decisive action beyond mere condolences.
In Makurdi, civic leaders, lawmakers, and civil society organisations have united in demanding:
- Deployment of a military battalion to protect vulnerable communities
- Creation of a special intervention fund for security and reconstruction
- Advanced tools and intelligence resources to identify and prosecute attackers
CSOs Describe Violence as Ethnic Cleansing
At a press conference, Takuluku Anyam Azenga Advocacy Organisation called recent attacks on Tiv communities in Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa “a coordinated campaign of ethnic cleansing.”
Convener Bem Ugoh urged the federal government to treat the violence as genocide and called for:
- Protection and rehabilitation of displaced communities
- Support for the enforcement of the Anti-Open Grazing Law
- Reconstruction, resettlement, and psychosocial support for victims
BENGONET, CSO-B Decry 712 Deaths Since January
In a joint briefing, the Benue NGO Network (BENGONET) and Civil Society Organisations Bloc (CSO-B) reported that over 712 people have been killed and 180,000 displaced in the state so far this year.
Spokesman Laz Mom condemned the recent police response to peaceful protests, calling the June 15 crackdown on demonstrators “a violation of civil rights.”
The coalition demanded:
- Release of all detained protesters
- Arrest and prosecution of those behind the Yelewata killings
- Community-based security models for early warning and intelligence
- Rejection of calls for a state of emergency, which they called undemocratic
Lawmakers Urge Full Enforcement of Anti-Grazing Law
The Benue State House of Assembly, dressed in black for its Tuesday plenary, passed a motion calling for:
- Support from President Tinubu to fully implement the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017)
- Three days of mourning for victims
- Stronger enforcement to halt the killings
Uche Terwase Peter, representing Guma 1 Constituency, described how armed attackers used explosives and fuel to destroy homes, wiping out entire families.
Lawmakers urged citizens to remain vigilant and defend themselves within the limits of the law.
Governor Alia: Visit Shows Federal Support
Governor Hyacinth Alia, through his Chief Press Secretary Tersoo Kula, said the president’s visit is a strong gesture of solidarity, offering hope for lasting peace.
“Benue, as the Food Basket of the Nation, deserves peace and justice,” the statement read.
Alia called on communities to remain calm and law-abiding as they prepare to engage directly with the President on security solutions.
SSA Apologises Over “Colourful Procession” Memo
Amid mourning, a memo by Francis Ngutswen, Governor Alia’s SSA on Special Groups Mobilisation, sparked backlash for requesting a “colourful procession” to welcome the president.
Ngutswen later withdrew the memo and apologised, saying:
“Benue is yoked with pain. My action wasn’t meant to add salt to our injury. We are in mourning, and our appearance will reflect that.”
Ex-DSS Official Urges Long-Term Security Plan
Former DSS officer Orgem Angulum said Tinubu’s visit must lead to concrete action, not symbolic gestures.
He recommended:
- Establishment of Forward Operational Bases (FOBs) in volatile areas
- Sustainable return and resettlement plans for displaced persons
- Permanent military presence to prevent further attacks
“If nothing is done, we risk raising a generation of children born in trauma—who may become threats to peace in the future,” he warned.
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