Security chiefs were put on the spot yesterday by the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The President took them to task as to why none of the criminals on the rampage in Benue State had been arrested, in spite of the extensive dastardly act.
He challenged them to do more and end the killing spree in the state.
He promised to keep the security chiefs on their toes until the menace is effectively checked, the killers of 147 people in Yelewata are apprehended and peace returns to the troubled communities.
President Tinubu gave the marching orders to security chiefs during his one-day visit to the state for first-hand information on the situation. He also visited victims of the weekend’s attack on the Yelewata community in the hospital.
The Yelewata attack was the most recent in the spate of attacks on different communities in the state in which no fewer than 500 people had been killed since the beginning of this year.
Speaking during the stakeholders meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital, the President turned to Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and asked: “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.”
President Tinubu also directed the DSS and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to intensify surveillance, gather actionable intelligence and collaborate with local communities to apprehend the perpetrators.
At the meeting were security chiefs, Benue political leaders and top traditional rulers.
Also at the meeting were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Governors AbdulRaheem AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa),
The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, told the President that Benue is facing a calculated genocidal herder-terrorist invasion, urging him to act with speed to save the hapless communities.
He said the bandits were on a land grabbing expedition in Benue as they are doing in Plateau State.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, who renewed his call for state police, also requested a special intervention fund from the Federal Government to tackle the rising humanitarian crisis.
Alia thanked the President for the visit, urging him to create a Special Federal Intervention Fund to aid communities ravaged by repeated attacks.
