President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered security chiefs to implement his earlier directive in Benue State, aimed at bringing lasting peace and security and ending the incessant bloodshed.
President Tinubu renewed his directive on Sunday in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on the persistent violence in Benue State.
Renewing his order in the wake of the latest round of reprisal attacks that led to the death of many people, the president ordered intelligence chiefs, the police and the military to act decisively and apprehend those responsible for the crime and restore order and sanity.
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.
Political and community leaders in Benue State…
— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) June 15, 2025
Restore sanity
On the president’s directive, intelligence chiefs, the police and the military are now in the state to direct security operations and restore sanity.
The Nigerian leader also tasked the governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, to embrace dialogue by convening reconciliation meetings with the warring parties to end the incessant bloodshed and enhance lasting peace and harmonious coexistence between farmers, herders, and communities.
Stop fuelling the crisis.
Describing the killings and bloodletting as inhuman and anti-progress, President Tinubu called on political leaders and community leaders in conflict areas to stop fuelling the crisis through unguarded utterances and statements that could further inflame tensions.
“The latest news of wanton killings in Benue State is very depressing. We must not allow this bloodletting to continue unabated. Enough is now enough.
“I have directed the security agencies to act decisively and arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them.
“Political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings,” the president stated.
President Tinubu further tasked Benue State Governor to lead the process of dialogue and reconciliation, explaining that citizens must live in peace.
The president also called for restraint from those causing provocations and igniting reprisal attacks.
“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.
The president added that Nigerians must live in peace, which is only possible when leaders across the divides work together in harmony to identify and address differences with fairness, openness and justice.
Lateefah Ibrahim