President Bola Tinubu has ordered the arrest of killer herdsmen in Benue State, declaring that human lives are more valuable than cows.
Tinubu gave the order on Wednesday while addressing stakeholders at the Government House, Markudi.
The meeting included the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume, Traditional Rulers, and former Governors of the state.
The President during the meeting called out the Inspector General of Police to know why arrests have not been made.
“How come no one has been arrested for committing this heinous crime in Yelewata. Inspector General of Police, where are the arrests? The criminals must be arrested immediately,” he said.
Underscoring the need for peace, he said, “| 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.
“The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people”, he emphasised.
He urged the heads of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to intensify surveillance and gather actionable intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators.
He told the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, of the need for vigilance and collaboration between communities and security forces.
President Tinubu, according to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, urged Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to allocate land for ranching and directed the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to follow up.
He called for blood donations to support the injured receiving treatment at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, where he had earlier visited victims and medical staff.
In his remarks, Governor Hyacinth Alia appealed to the Federal Government to establish a Special Intervention Fund for communities affected by repeated violent attacks across Benue State.
“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,” he said.
Governor Alia said the fund would support the rehabilitation of displaced persons, reconstruction of destroyed homes and infrastructure, and the restoration of livelihoods, especially for farmers.
He reiterated his support for establishing state police as a lasting solution to insecurity.
The Governor pledged his administration’s full commitment to building a safe, stable, prosperous Benue State.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse, praised President Tinubu for being the first sitting President to personally visit victims in the hospital in the wake of such a tragedy.
He thanked the President for appointing notable Benue indigenes into key positions, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, while expressing hope that more appointments would follow.
On the recurring spate of insecurity in the state, the monarch took time to address misinformation and mischaracterisation, saying that land grabbing is at the core of the decades-long conflict.
“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.”
He cautioned that mischaracterising the crisis had ied to inadequate responses and accused some political actors of exploiting the situation for selfish gain.
“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.
He therefore appealed to President Tinubu to restore peace to the state and every part of Nigeria.
“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.
“| heard a story about a challenge ina place in Kwara State, and you rose and gave them peace in Kaiama. You can do that for Benue.”
