President Bola Tinubu has taken steps to bring peace back to Benue State after a deadly attack in the Yelewata community of Guma Local Government Area, where around 200 people were killed last Friday. He has formed a peace committee to handle the crisis.

The peace team includes past governors like Gen. Atom Kpera, George Akume, Gabriel Suswam, and Samuel Ortom. Traditional leaders such as the Tor Tiv and Ochidoma are also part of the group.

President Tinubu encouraged Governor Hyacinth Alia to support the committee and work closely with both locals and people from other parts of the country who live in Benue. He said everyone must come together to build peace and a better future.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Makurdi, the state capital, Tinubu assured the people that he was ready to support any effort that would turn this tragedy into something positive. He promised that peace would return and that the lives lost would not be in vain.

The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, former governors, and leaders from neighbouring states like Nasarawa, Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, and Ondo.

President Tinubu stressed the importance of working with Nasarawa State to make peace more effective. He said both governors must work together and involve traditional rulers in the solution.

He reminded everyone that the aim of leadership is to help families grow and stay safe, not to bury them. He urged the people of Benue to unite and support their governor.

Tinubu said he would give his full support to Governor Alia and encouraged communities to embrace peace, especially during this difficult period. He also said non-indigenes must be included in the peace efforts to promote unity.

The President ordered security forces to arrest those behind the killings. He questioned why no one had been arrested yet and called on the police, army, and intelligence agencies to act fast and smartly.

He also asked intelligence agencies to improve their work and provide useful information to prevent such attacks from happening again.

Tinubu advised Governor Alia to provide land for cattle ranching and directed the Minister of Agriculture to follow up. He also called for blood donations to help those injured and receiving treatment at the hospital he visited earlier.

The President said he came to Benue hoping to commission projects and spread hope—not to witness sorrow. He reminded everyone that human lives are more valuable than cows.

He told Governor Alia that being elected means bringing peace and progress, not dealing with burials and sorrow. He pledged to work with the governor and urged him to stay focused, even if criticized by others.

In his speech, Governor Alia appealed to the Federal Government to create a special fund for communities hit by repeated attacks. He said the fund would help displaced people, repair damaged homes, and help farmers get back to work.

Governor Alia also supported the idea of state police, saying it could help improve security and ensure a safer Benue.

The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, praised President Tinubu for being the first sitting President to personally visit the victims in the hospital. He also addressed the root of the crisis, saying it wasn’t just a clash between herders and farmers.

According to him, what is happening in Benue is a well-planned attack aimed at taking over their land, not just random violence. He warned that mislabeling the problem had led to weak government responses.

He said some politicians were using the crisis for political gain and even hoping things would get worse to justify declaring a state of emergency. He asked the President to help bring peace so farmers can return to their lands.

The traditional ruler said if the President could solve a crisis in Kaiama, Kwara State, he could also bring peace to Benue.

Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum condemned the continuous killings in Benue, calling it genocide. They blamed the situation on failed leadership, weak governance, and political interests.

The group said Benue, a key state for food production and jobs, was now in ruins, with people dying and being pushed into terrible living conditions. They described the killings as a political crisis, not an ethnic one.

Also, the Concerned Christian Youth Forum called on leaders to act quickly and protect the people. The group asked young people to help protect their communities and urged leaders to bring peace back.

They said the suffering in Benue had gone beyond words and called for justice and support for the victims and their families.