Following a devastating weekend attack that claimed the lives of at least 150 people in Nigeria’s north-central region, President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to track down and bring the perpetrators to justice. The directive comes amid mounting public outcry and criticism over the federal government’s handling of the country’s deteriorating security landscape.
Tinubu traveled to Benue State, the site of the attack, on Wednesday in a move aimed at reassuring the grieving communities and reinforcing federal commitment to peace and accountability.
“We will restore peace, rebuild, and bring the perpetrators to justice. You are not alone,”
President Tinubu said in a post on X.
The assault occurred in the Yelewata community between Friday night and early Saturday morning. Armed assailants reportedly opened fire on sleeping villagers and set homes ablaze. According to survivors and the local farmers’ union, many of the victims had been seeking refuge in a local market after fleeing violence in other parts of the state.
Local authorities in Benue have blamed herders for the killings—a type of violence that has long plagued Nigeria’s north-central region, often rooted in farmer-herder tensions over land and grazing rights.
President Tinubu’s visit came five days after the attack, drawing criticism from opposition leaders and civil society groups for what they described as a delayed and insufficient federal response. His administration issued its first public statement more than 24 hours after the killings.
During his visit to Makurdi, the state capital, Tinubu toured a hospital treating victims of the violence and met with state officials and traditional leaders to discuss long-term solutions. However, he did not visit the Yelewata community itself.
He also expressed frustration at the lack of progress in holding perpetrators accountable.
“How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,”
Tinubu said during a briefing with senior police officials in Benue.
Security analysts have continued to raise alarms over what they describe as systemic failures to ensure justice in the wake of such attacks.
“In the end, the result is the same: No justice, no accountability, and no closure for the victims and their communities,”
said Senator Iroegbu, a security analyst based in Abuja.
“Until this changes, impunity will remain the norm, and such tragedies will continue to occur.”
The recent massacre underscores the broader national security challenges confronting the Tinubu administration, as Nigeria grapples with violence from extremist insurgents, bandits, and communal clashes across several regions.
