In order to implement President Bola Tinubu’s call for the establishment of a peace committee to combat insecurity in the state, George Akume, the secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF), has begun consultations with traditional Benue leaders.
Akume visited the Tor Tiv James Ortese Ayatse and the Och’Idoma, John Elaigwu Odogbo, at their palaces in Makurdi and Otukpo, respectively, in a statement from Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, on Saturday.
Following his condolence and solidarity visit to the state on Wednesday following a deadly attack in Yelewata that reportedly claimed over 200 lives, the consultations were aimed at fine-tuning modalities for the president’s directive’s prompt implementation.
Both traditional rulers were informed of their appointment by President Tinubu to the Peace Committee by Senator Akume.
He emphasized the need for swiftly forming a consensus-building process to create an inclusive and effective committee capable of restoring peace and stability to the troubled region.
The President, in his opinion, is deeply concerned about how the violence continues to affect Benue, the country’s main agricultural producer and key contributor to national food security.
The SGF commended the royal fathers for their efforts to ensure that the traditional institution continues to be active in protecting local communities while welcoming the president during his recent visit.
Both the Tor Tiv and the Och’Idoma praised the Federal Government’s support for the peace-building process. Numerous well-known Benue figures accompanied the SGF on their visits.
Incessant killings
The Benue attacks were “a deliberate, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits,” according to The Tor Tiv.
The rising death toll and destruction have sparked outrage and condemnation across the country. The most recent massacre in Yelewata, according to Pope Leo XIV, was a “terrible tragedy” and necessitated urgent intervention to put an end to the conflict.
A recent wave of violent attacks, frequently attributed to suspected herdsmen, have plagued the state. Numerous observers have attributed the current situation to nomadic pastoralists’ land disputes with indigenous farming communities.
Over 160 people have died in various communities over the past two months, just one of them. In one of the most recent incidents, a quick raid on Yelewata resulted in scores of murders and more than 3, 000 displacements. Civil society organizations insist that the death toll is more than 200, compared to 59 in government figures.
President Tinubu visited Benue on Wednesday to assess the security situation and express condolences to the victims in the midst of growing criticism from the opposition and human rights organizations.
To promote community-based reconciliation and restore stability, Tinubu announced the establishment of a Peace Committee made up of traditional rulers like the Tor Tiv and the Och’Idoma.
The president urged security agencies to take a decisive stance at a stakeholder meeting held at the Government House in Makurdi.
“Police, I hope your men are listening for information,” the policeman said. Why hasn’t an arrest been made yet? According to Tinubu, I anticipate that those criminals will be apprehended.
The president continued, “Christopher, you have given a lot,” in a direct message to the Chief of Defence Staff and other senior officers. You can’t get tired of being in the bush, I hear you saying. We appreciate your hospitality, Oloyede and the Air Marshal, but we must maintain our ears on the ground. Get those criminals, folks. Let’s remove them.
He further instructed intelligence services to improve data collection and surveillance.
Source: Channels TV
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