The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on Monday arrived Yelwata Town in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where a deadly attack by suspected armed herders left scores of residents dead in a late-night raid on Friday.
The high-level visit follows sustained violence in the state, which has seen repeated attacks on farming communities by gunmen believed to be herders and bandits.
Gen. Musa is scheduled to meet with Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, at the Government House, Makurdi, before concluding his visit.
Also expected in the state is the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, who is set to embark on a working visit to assess the deteriorating security situation and engage with local law enforcement and stakeholders.
At least 100 people were reportedly killed in the latest round of attacks, sparking outrage and mass protests across the state.
In response, enraged youths from Yelwata blocked the Lafia-Makurdi Highway, demanding urgent government intervention and justice for the slain victims.
The protests escalated into the state capital, Makurdi, on Sunday morning, prompting security forces to disperse demonstrators with teargas canisters as tensions ran high.
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Reacting to the crisis, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement posted via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday night, condemned the killings and called for immediate action to stem the violence.
“I have been briefed on the senseless bloodletting in Benue State. Enough is enough!” Tinubu declared.
“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 also tasked Gov. Alia with convening peace and reconciliation meetings involving political, traditional, and community leaders to address the root causes of the violence.
“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 stated.
“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.”
Benue State has long been plagued by a bloody farmer-herder conflict, with thousands killed and displaced in recent years.
The state government has repeatedly called for stronger federal support and military presence to protect vulnerable communities.
