The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benue

  • Obi hails Tinubu’s planned visit to Benue

    Obi hails Tinubu’s planned visit to Benue

    Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has responded to President Bola Tinubu’s planned visit to Benue State on Wednesday, following the brutal killings of over 200 people last weekend.

    Speaking during the commissioning of the Greater Abuja Water Supply Network on Monday, President Tinubu expressed condolences to the government and people of Benue State.

    In a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President also confirmed the rescheduling of his official trip to Kaduna State in order to personally assess the devastating crisis in Benue.

    Read Also: UN Chief condemns Benue attacks 

    Reacting via a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Obi thanked the President for the move and urged him to extend similar concern to Niger State, where recent flooding has claimed numerous lives.

    Obi wrote: “It was refreshing news on Monday to a bewildered nation learning that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally decided to visit the scene of the brutal killings in Benue State. For this I thank him even as I make further request that similar gesture should be extended to Niger state that lost more number of human lives in a natural disaster, flood recently.

    “Given the emergency nature of these incidents, a prompt visits would have delivered the urgency needed, instead of giving future dates that makes it look like a state visit.

    “The presence of the President in these devastated and grieving communities will be very reassuring and uplifting.

    “Both Benue and Niger States have lost over 200 lives each due to recent tragedies. In Mokwa alone, more than 200 people were confirmed dead, and over 1,000 are still missing following the floods. These are not just statistics; they are the lives of Nigerian families torn apart and their communities destroyed.

    “The distance from Abuja to these affected areas is not far. Abuja to Makurdi is about 282km and Abuja to Mokwa is about 287km.

    “Combined, that’s roughly 1,134 km for a round trip to both locations, still significantly less than the 1,870 km round trip President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa recently made some days ago from Pretoria to Mthatha to personally visit flood victims in his country.
    Less than 100 persons died in Mthatha, and more than 200 died in Mokwa, with over 1000 still missing.

    “If the South African President could do it, we trust that you, as our own President, can do the same for your people.”

    He advised the President to let his visit to Mokwa in Niger State send a strong message that all Nigerian lives matter and that no community, no matter how rural, is forgotten.

    “Let your visit to Mokwa send a strong message, that all Nigerian lives matter, and that no community, no matter how rural, is forgotten. Please also consider stepping up security across the country, especially in disaster-prone areas.

    “We look forward to seeing not leadership by remote control but proactive leadership that responds not just with words, but with compassion and action,” he wrote.

  • M.I Abaga mourns Benue victims, condemns violence

    M.I Abaga mourns Benue victims, condemns violence

    Rapper and music executive MI Abaga has expressed deep sorrow over the recent killings in Benue State, standing in solidarity with the affected communities. 

    In a message on his official X page, he described the violence as a tragedy that has torn apart families and communities, emphasising that the cycle of violence can no longer be normalised. 

    M.I called for a transparent investigation into the attacks and a stronger security presence in vulnerable areas.

    Read Also: Activists commiserate with bereaved families in Benue

    M.I wrote: “My heart is heavy. It grieves me deeply to see so much of the Middle Belt bleed. The recent killings in Benue are not just statistics, they are our people, our families, our communities being torn apart.”

    He continued: “I stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters in Benue. Your pain is my pain. We can’t normalise this cycle of violence that has plagued our land for too long. To those we’ve lost: we will not forget you. To those still standing, we stand with you.”

    He also called for a transparent investigation into the attacks and a stronger security presence across vulnerable communities.

  • UN Chief condemns Benue attacks 

    UN Chief condemns Benue attacks 

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the attacks perpetrated over the weekend in Benue, North Central Nigeria, in which scores of civilians were killed.

    Guterres said those responsible for the violence should be apprehended.

    According to news reports, dozens of people were killed while they slept and several displaced following brutal attacks on the village of Yelewata.

    Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said “We’re monitoring the situation.

    Read Also: Benue killings: When graveyards replace farmlands

    “The Secretary-General condemns the killing of innocent civilians, including in Nigeria and  we hope that those responsible for this violence will be found and apprehended.”

    President Bola Tinubu condemned the ongoing violence in Benue and called on all leaders and residents to embrace peace, love, and mutual understanding.

    Tinubu will travel to the state on Wednesday as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state.

    During his visit, he is expected to meet with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political, religious, community leaders and youth groups to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.

    The president extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to all those who have suffered losses as a result of the crisis.

    (NAN)

  • ACF, Sultan condemn Yelwata killings, urge urgent security action in Benue

    ACF, Sultan condemn Yelwata killings, urge urgent security action in Benue

    ….killings barbaric, inhumane, ungodly – JNI

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged security agencies to intensify efforts to halt further killings in the Yelwata community of Benue State, following a recent deadly attack by suspected armed herders.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the Forum extended condolences to the Yelwata community, the Benue State Government, and all Nigerians over the tragic incident. ACF also prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

    Joining in the condemnation, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on behalf of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), described the renewed violence in Benue as barbaric, inhumane, ungodly, and a betrayal of the values shared by all humanity.

    The Yelwata community attack, which occurred barely two weeks ago, left dozens dead and many others injured, sparking widespread outrage and renewed calls for lasting security solutions in the region.

    “The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is greatly disturbed by the resurgence of yet another tragic episode of violence, leading to the gruesome death of scores of persons, and injuries to many, including women, children and the elderly, in Yelwata Community, on Friday, 13th June, 2025. ACF condoles the members of the Yelwata Community, the Government and people of Benue State and indeed Nigeria as a whole. We pray for the repose of the souls of the dead, commiserate with the injured and wish them a quick recovery.

    “ACF categorically and unequivocally condemns the senseless killings that continue to escalate for far too long, every time with tragic consequences, and potent threats to the shared destiny in Arewa and indeed in Nigeria. The gruesome incident at Yelwata is only the latest in a cascading series of catastrophic violence, pitching farmers and herders, which dishearteningly seems to defy solutions, including decisive action by the Federal Government-controlled security agencies. While not unmindful of and appreciates the efforts of the security agencies in their determination to tame the violent situation in Benue State and elsewhere.

    “To show a new determination, only a few days before the Yelwata Tragedy, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had undertaken a high-visibility relocation to Benue State. That the Yelwata Tragedy would take place within days of the COAS’s relocation clearly illustrates that the prevailing curtailment strategy must therefore be reviewed, to frontally confront the discomfiting regime of terrorism, insurgencies, banditry, communal conflicts, etc, however labelled. Proactive measures, including vigilance, improved intelligence gathering, must be the crucial ingredients of new curtailment strategies against the recurring cycle of senseless violence.

    Read Also: Sallah: Shettima, Sultan, govs, others sue for national unity

    “Therefore, ACF calls on citizens of Benue and other violence-prone states to commit to rejecting hate narratives, fear and anger and replace the same with empathy and understanding, cooperation and reconciliation.

    “For the immediate provision of adequate relief materials to the Yelwata and other affected communities by the Federal and Benue State Governments.

    “ACF commends the efforts of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, who has been visibly trying to fashion a new approach to finding lasting peace in the State, and refreshingly, through inclusive peace-building efforts to unearth the underlying causes of the cycle of violence.  In doing so, impunity must not be allowed to continue to hold sway; all those found culpable must be held to justice.

    “ACF encourages community and religious leaders to utilise every opportunity at their disposal to act and foster exhaustive and inclusive dialogue and understanding between communities, denounce violence and incitement, as well as to promote values of shared humanity, tolerance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. May peace, understanding, cooperation and social harmony return to Benue State and all too all Arewa and other States”, the statement said.

    In its own statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, JNI called for intelligence-driven and proactive security to avert future recurrences, which it said was invariably becoming normalised.

    JNI also called on relevant stakeholders, government at all levels, religious bodies, civil society organisations, and community leaders, to come together in synergy and sincerity to end the repeated and avoidable carnage.

    The apex Islamic body in Northern Nigeria said, “Enough is enough. Our collective silence or indifference may only serve to embolden the enemies of peace and national unity in Nigeria.

    “JNI prays to Almighty Allah to console the victims’ families, and restore lasting peace and tranquility in Benue State and the entire country. We also pray for global peace, justice, and security; for without peace, development is but a mirage.

    “As we mourn with Benue state, let this serve as a moment of national reflection. Let us shun divisive narratives and rise as one humanity to say “No More” to senseless killings, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or political inclination! Human life remains sacred and MUST be treated as such, as we have repeatedly stated.

    “We also commiserate with the government and the good people of Benue State over the monumental tragedy. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the quick recovery of the injured. This painful loss is not only Benue’s; it is Nigeria’s. Indeed, no sane society should normalise such carnage.

    “May Allah, the exalted, guide our leaders aright, strengthen our institutions, and unite us upon righteousness and compassion,” said JNI.

  • Akume urges unity for peace in Benue, hails Tinubu’s swift intervention

    Akume urges unity for peace in Benue, hails Tinubu’s swift intervention

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has called on leaders and communities in Benue State to urgently unite in forging a path to peace, following the latest deadly attack in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area.

    Addressing the escalating insecurity in a statement on Monday, Akume appealed to traditional rulers, political leaders, community stakeholders, and citizens across the state to set aside differences and act with urgency to restore peace and security in the region.

    “We must rise above division and act decisively to protect our people and preserve our future,” he said.

    The SGF condemned the continuous wave of violence across Benue, describing the latest killings as “reprehensible” and “a deep wound to the soul of our nation.”

    He noted that similar tragedies have occurred in Plateau and Zamfara States, stressing that the root causes are largely economic and not religious.

    “These dastardly acts are not restricted to Benue State alone. Plateau and Zamfara States also suffer the same fate. These killings are economically deterministic, not religious driven”, he said.

    Akume expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his prompt intervention, commending the President’s swift directive for a comprehensive security operation aimed at flushing out the perpetrators and restoring order.

    “I express profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his swift directive for a full security operation to rid Benue of these killers and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he stated.

    He added that beyond the security response, the Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has already begun providing humanitarian assistance, while more troops have been deployed to stabilise the area.

    Read Also: Benue killings: Akume not silent, just focuse don results, SGF’s aide counters Alia’s claim

    The SGF, who hails from Benue, pledged to personally continue engaging stakeholders and coordinating peace efforts across the affected communities, vowing not to relent in the search for sustainable solutions.

    “For my part, as a son of the soil and a key stakeholder, I will not relent in consulting, mobilising, and coordinating all necessary efforts to find and implement a durable solution, as I am doing the same for all the other affected states,” he said.

    Emphasising the sanctity of life, Akume called on Nigerians of all faiths — Christians, Muslims, and traditionalists — to reject violence and reaffirm the values of peace and brotherhood.

    “As believers… we believe in the sanctity of human lives. Any single life lost offends the sensibility of God Almighty. All of us must live as brothers and sisters in peace and harmony,” he said.

    Extending condolences to bereaved families and affected communities, the SGF assured that the Federal Government would not relent until justice is served.

    “In this dark hour, we stand with you. And we will not rest until justice speaks — loudly, clearly, and without delay”, he said.

    The Yelewata attack, which claimed several lives over the weekend, is the latest in a string of violent incidents across Benue’s rural communities.

    Federal authorities have since launched fresh military operations in the state, under renewed orders from the Presidency.

  • Tinubu heads to Benue to address renewed crisis

    Tinubu heads to Benue to address renewed crisis

    …postpones planned visit to Kaduna 

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rescheduled his official visit to Kaduna State, opting instead to travel to Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, to engage directly with stakeholders over the recurring crisis that has gripped the North-Central state.

    The Presidency announced on Monday that the President’s decision to prioritise Benue follows a renewed push for peace amid a cycle of violence that has claimed numerous lives and displaced scores of residents across the state’s troubled communities.

    A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President, Bayo Onanuga, said, “President Tinubu will visit Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state”.

    According to the statement, the President is expected to assess the security and humanitarian situation on the ground and will hold a town hall meeting with traditional rulers, political leaders, religious figures, youth groups, and civil society representatives.

    The meeting aims to identify homegrown, consensus-driven solutions to the prolonged violence.

    Ahead of the visit, President Tinubu has deployed a high-powered delegation to Benue, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Inspector General of Police, heads of intelligence agencies, the National Security Adviser (NSA), and the chairmen of the Defence Committees in both chambers of the National Assembly.

    These officials have been tasked with preparatory consultations, security assessments, and interface with local actors to ensure that the President’s intervention yields actionable outcomes.

    The visit comes amid fresh reports of reprisal attacks and communal clashes in parts of the state, deepening the humanitarian toll and worsening tensions between farming and herder communities.

    President Tinubu has repeatedly condemned the violence in Benue and called for collective efforts to restore calm.

    In an earlier directive to security chiefs, he ordered the implementation of a comprehensive security framework aimed at protecting civilians and disarming hostile elements.

    “The President has extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to all those who have suffered losses as a result of the crisis,” the statement noted.

    The Benue visit will now take precedence over the President’s previously scheduled trip to Kaduna State, where he was billed to commission several state projects on Wednesday.

    That official engagement has now been moved to Thursday, June 19, 2025.

    This marks the second high-level intervention by President Tinubu in the state since he assumed office in May 2023.

    His Renewed Hope Agenda has emphasised national cohesion, local security ownership, and inclusive dialogue as key tools in tackling Nigeria’s multifaceted insecurity challenges.

    Benue, one of the epicentres of Nigeria’s internal displacement crisis, has seen decades of unrest stemming from land disputes, ethno-religious mistrust, and organised crime.

    While the state has witnessed multiple military operations over the years, sustainable peace has remained elusive.

  • 2Baba decries Benue massacre, seeks stakeholders’ help

    2Baba decries Benue massacre, seeks stakeholders’ help

    Music icon Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2baba, has called the ongoing violence in parts of Benue a national emergency.

    In a video shared on his Instagram page, he shared his profound grief and frustration over the repeated attacks, noting the lack of lasting solutions from authorities.

    He urged Benue stakeholders to unite, setting aside political and personal differences, to tackle the crisis.

    The persistent violence, he stressed, requires immediate, collective action beyond words, and he remains hopeful that a solution can be found through joint efforts.

    Read Also: D’Banj set to embark on joint tour with 2baba, Timaya

    He said, “My heart is heavy. I am terribly sad and angry. What is happening in Benue State has become a national emergency. I can’t wrap my head around it anymore. I don’t even know what to say at this point. This has to stop.

    “My sadness, my anger, my frustration, it’s overwhelming that this keeps happening over and over again. This is no longer something we can just condemn in words. Serious action needs to be taken.

    “Every stakeholder in Benue must join hands. We can end this. I believe there is a solution.”

  • Nasarawa not involved in Benue killings – Sule

    Nasarawa not involved in Benue killings – Sule

    Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule said the state has no hand in the ongoing killings of innocent people in Benue State.

    Governor Sule, in a statement on Wednesday in Lafia signed by his senior special assistant on public affairs, Peter Ahemba, dismissed the allegations by the immediate past member of the House of Representatives from Benue State, Hon. Mark Gbillah, that Nasarawa State harbours those killing Benue farmers.

    The former lawmaker, while featuring on an African Independent Television (AIT) discussion programme recently, made several malicious statements, alleging that bandits attacking communities in Benue State were being harboured in Nasarawa State.

    The statement read: “It is on record that the Nasarawa State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule has remained consistent in building synergy with neighbouring states, particularly Benue, to enhance peace and address common security challenges confronting the States and beyond. 

    “As Governor of Nasarawa State and Chairman of the North-Central Governors Forum, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule has not only demonstrated the State’s solidarity with the Government and people of Benue State over the unfortunate killings but has also been leading collaborative efforts with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to address the security challenges confronting the region.

    “Just recently, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, concerned by the rising wave of insecurity in the region, convened a meeting of the North-Central Governors Forum with all the Governors of the region, including the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, in attendance. The Governor also participated in other top-level security meetings with his colleagues, all intending to find ways of tackling security challenges in the region. 

    Read Also: Sule: Six years of transformative governance in Nasarawa

    “With this demonstrated solidarity for the people of Benue and other neighbouring states being confronted with security challenges in the region and the concerted efforts by Governor Sule towards addressing same, how could Nasarawa State under his headship be harbouring bandits to attack Benue or any neighbouring State as the former lawmaker wants members of the public to believe?

    “The allegations by Hon. Gbilah are therefore a malicious attempt to tarnish the image of the State and disrupt the inter-state relationship between Nasarawa and Benue States. As a former National Assembly member, Hon. Gbilah is advised to see himself as a stakeholder in the peace and security project and desist from fanning the embers of discord capable of igniting tension between the two states,” the statement added.

    He called on people to disregard the false narratives from the former lawmaker and instead focus on promoting unity and cooperation among communities, adding that Governor Sule remains committed to maintaining peace and security within the borders and sustaining effective collaboration with neighbouring states to address common challenges.

  • Benue: A just cry from the Bishops

    Benue: A just cry from the Bishops

    Sir: The recent statement by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria condemning the persistent killings in Benue State and the silence—or complicity—of both the federal and Benue State governments is a just cry. I commend the bishops for rising above denominational and partisan affiliations to speak boldly for the oppressed.

    This is not merely a matter of law and order; it is a matter of justice. When human life is desecrated daily by coordinated acts of murder and communities are repeatedly displaced by terrorists masquerading as herders, while those entrusted with the defence of the innocent issue platitudes and evasions, we must ask: What is the purpose of government if not the protection of lives and property?

    The bishops’ lamentation is not hyperbole—it is a factual representation of our tragic reality. For too long, the victims of these attacks have borne their grief in silence, while state actors blame vague “bandits”,  invoke tired clichés of “unknown gunmen”, or every so often, mere “relocation”  of a defence chief to the affected states is ordered. In the face of sustained patterns of aggression, such passivity is betrayal, and regular repeats of unworkable rituals are comedic displays.

    As someone who has lived, taught, and led among Benue’s academic and civic institutions, I know too well the cost of fear and the paralysis of leadership. We cannot build roads soaked in blood, nor can we wholeheartedly celebrate governance achievements while graves are being dug daily in our villages. All these other achievements, including infrastructural development, by both federal and state governments are noteworthy, but they are being dwarfed by the ceaseless shedding of blood of innocent lives: our mothers, fathers, children, brothers, and sisters. 

    I call on the president, the National Assembly, and the Benue State government to treat the bishops’ call as a moral verdict and a national alarm. Enough of the statements—what the people demand now is action: decisive, just, and protective. The killers must be stopped, their sponsors must be exposed and prosecuted, and peace must be returned to Benue State, and every other region in Nigeria.

    Read Also: Nigeria will continue to protect ocean resources, says Oyetola

    There cannot be such coordinated attacks involving such sophisticated weapons being deployed without sponsors. It is in the light of this that I take seriously Governor Alia’s recent revelation that the interim report of a Benue Panel of Inquiry contains names of some sponsors of Benue terrorism. Benue people and the nation await the bombshell revelation and a bombshell prosecution following the bombshell arrest of the sponsors of those coordinated attacks on the people of Benue, which for too long have been moderated under the euphemism “herdsmen attacks”.

    President Tinubu’s Minister of Defence (rather than only the COAS), along with his colleagues, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, must be given the appropriate orders to liberate Benue State and other states of those murderers of our people, whether they are called “herdsmen”, “militia”, “bandits”, or whatever. The governor of Benue State should be assisted to root out the evil.

    Let us remember: Every government that fails in its primary duty to protect life forfeits its moral claim to leadership. President Tinubu must act now and act smartly. This is the message that the bishops have sent.

    •Prof Leonard Karshima Shilgba,<shilgba@gmail.com>

  • Group commends Chief of Army Staff over visit to Benue after deadly attacks

    Group commends Chief of Army Staff over visit to Benue after deadly attacks

    The Benue Good Governance Network (BGGN) has lauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, for his recent visit to Benue State to coordinate military operations aimed at restoring peace and order in conflict-affected communities.

    The group described the Army Chief’s actions as bold, timely, and deeply reassuring to the people of Benue, many of whom have endured years of violent attacks and displacement without visible federal intervention.

    In a statement signed by the Convener, Dr. Amase Paul, the BGGN said General Oluyede’s presence in the state — personally assessing the situation, meeting with troops, and engaging with key stakeholders — sent a strong message of renewed federal resolve to bring an end to terrorism and protect innocent lives.

    “For many of our people, this visit came like the first rainfall after a long drought. It was a powerful demonstration that Benue is not alone and not forgotten. Lieutenant General Oluyede has restored our faith in the Nigerian Army and in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration,” Dr Paul said. 

    Benue State has witnessed a series of brutal attacks by armed militias and terrorists, especially in rural communities where state protection has been minimal. Dozens have been killed, properties destroyed, and families forced to live in IDP camps for years. In recent months, this violence intensified, leaving residents feeling abandoned and vulnerable.

    According to BGGN, the military chief’s proactive decision to visit the flashpoints and directly coordinate troop deployment marks a turning point in the fight to reclaim the state from lawlessness.

    “His boots-on-ground approach shows courage and sincerity. It gave our people a sense of safety they have not felt in years. Our women now sleep without fear, and our youths feel that the government finally understands their pain,” he added. 

    The statement further praised the renewed military coordination as evidence of President Tinubu’s determination to tackle insecurity in all parts of Nigeria, particularly in regions where terror has lingered too long without response.

    “Before now, there was a growing belief that Benue had been left to its fate. But the actions of General Oluyede and the clear support from the President have changed that perception. Our people now feel reassured that all will be well again,” he added. 

    Read Also: Benue killings: Army chief moves in, deploys more troops, logistics

    The Benue Good Governance Network said the federal government must ensure this momentum is sustained. It called for more troops, intelligence operations, and continued community engagement to eliminate criminal hideouts and build trust between civilians and the military.

    “We urge the Chief of Army Staff not to allow this visit to be a one-off gesture. Let it mark the beginning of sustained and well-coordinated efforts to permanently end terrorism in our land,” Dr. Paul stated.

    The group also pledged the full cooperation and support of Benue youths to complement the military’s efforts. It noted that local knowledge, civilian intelligence, and inter-generational partnerships will be key to restoring lasting peace.

    “The youths of Benue are ready to support this new direction. We will organise, sensitise, and mobilise our communities to work hand-in-hand with the Nigerian Army in defeating terror. It is our land, and we will defend it — through unity, lawful engagement, and honest partnership,” the group stated. 

    The BGGN said it has already begun deploying its networks across affected local government areas to facilitate communication between youth leaders and military commanders on the ground.

    “We believe peace must be built by both the gun and goodwill. While the soldiers defend us, our duty is to help create an environment where peace can grow and survive,” Paul added.

    The group further urged the Army and federal government to pay attention to the post-conflict phase, including the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, roads, and homes destroyed by violence.

    “Lasting peace goes beyond the battlefield. It requires healing, rebuilding, and restoring the dignity of displaced families. We appeal to the Chief of Army Staff to work with relevant agencies to ensure that the military’s success is followed by relief, recovery and development.”

    Dr. Paul concluded by reaffirming the network’s commitment to advancing good governance, civic responsibility, and public accountability in the state. 

    He also called on traditional institutions, religious leaders, and civil society groups to rally behind the peace efforts initiated by the military leadership.

    “Lieutenant General Oluyede has done what true leaders do. We thank him. And we stand ready to support him in this courageous mission to restore peace in our dear Benue State,” the group concluded.