Benue Killings: Security Forces Arrest Suspects

Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Benue State on June 18, 2025, to address the Yelwata massacre that killed at least 59 people and displaced over 6,500 in Guma Local Government Area, security forces have made significant progress in apprehending suspects linked to the attack.

On June 22, Benue State Commissioner of Police Emenari Ifeanyi announced the arrest of undisclosed suspects during a press briefing, attributing the breakthrough to Governor Hyacinth Alia’s logistical support and the deployment of tactical teams ordered by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.

“The arrest would not have been possible without Governor Alia’s support,” Emenari said, noting that investigations are ongoing to uncover the full network behind the violence attributed to suspected armed herders.

The arrests mark a response to the public outcry and pressure for justice following the June 13 attack, which some local reports claim killed up to 200.

Tinubu’s post-visit directives, including the formation of a peace committee and enhanced security measures, are showing early signs of implementation.

The peace committee, comprising former governors like Senator George Akume, Gabriel Suswam, and Samuel Ortom, alongside traditional rulers such as the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, and the Och’Idoma, Dr. John Elaigwu, has begun preliminary meetings in Makurdi to outline a framework for sustainable peace.

Sources within the Benue State Government confirm that the committee is engaging non-indigenes and federal officials to address land-grabbing and resource conflicts, a key driver of the violence.

The state government has also initiated steps to allocate land for ranching, as directed by Tinubu, with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security tasked to oversee implementation, though progress remains slow due to local resistance and logistical challenges.

Security operations have intensified, with additional personnel from the Nigeria Police and military deployed to rural communities like Yelwata.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is providing relief to 6,527 displaced persons, including 1,768 females and 657 children, now in camps such as Makurdi International Market.

Blood donation drives, spurred by Tinubu’s appeal, have supported victims at Benue State University Teaching Hospital.

However, critics, including security analyst Daniel Echechofu, argue that more arrests are needed to deter perpetrators, stating, “We know them, and arrests must continue to send a signal.”

Social Democratic Party leader Prince Adewole Adebayo, while acknowledging the arrests, cautioned that without sustained action, the crisis could persist, citing 1,043 deaths in Benue from May 2023 to May 2025.

Despite these efforts, Benue remains tense, with fears of reprisal attacks during the rainy season, a peak period for grazing disputes. Governor Alia’s call for state police and a special intervention fund is under federal review, but no concrete decisions have emerged.

While the arrests and initial steps toward peace-building signal improvement, residents like Mary Iorver, a displaced farmer, remain skeptical, “We want to return to our farms, but we need more than promises.”

As the peace committee prepares for a follow-up meeting in Abuja, hopes linger if these measures will curb the decades-long violence in Benue’s North-Central region.


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