Peace has gradually returned to Benue State following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s June 18 visit, paramount ruler Tor Tiv said yesterday.
He spoke in Makurdi during the visit by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to condole with the state over the attack and killing in Yelwata.
Governor Hyacinth Alia insisted that establishment of a state police woul go a long way in preventing invasion of herders into Benue Communities.
They all spoke in Markurdi, the state capital as Senator Tinubu donated N1billion to assist the rehabilitation of victims of the various attacks in the state who are now living in the Internally Displace Persons (IDP) camps.
The paramount ruler said: “This visit comes after the massacre of over 200 of our people on the night of Saturday, the 13th, and the morning of Sunday, the 14th of June, 2025.
“Your visit follows closely after your husband, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, who altered his itinerary to send us a message of comfort on June 18.
“While the attacks by militias and bandits have not completely stopped, we can report that there has been some noticeable improvement in security.
“Your presence here today reflects not only your strategic support as a former Senator of the Federal Republic but also your motherly and compassionate response to moments of distress in our nation.
“Your initiatives in health, social investment, agriculture, care for orphans, IDPs, persons living with disabilities, and the elderly, have not gone unnoticed,” he said.
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The Tor Tiv appreciated the First Lady’s numerous interventions in Benue schools, as well as her economic empowerment programmes.
According to him, Mrs Tinubu has done so much for the state, expressing optimism that her visit will inspire her to do more.
“We bring before you the painful reality of our people. The persistent attacks by militias on our farms have been sustained for years, leading to loss of lives and property.
“Farmers have been driven away from their lands because so many have been killed, leaving us in pain and despair.
“Some of our people are displaced and living in camps, while many more are staying with friends and relatives across different parts of the state under harsh conditions.
“Hunger is widespread, and food is scarce in a state once celebrated as the “Food Basket Of The Nation.” In all of this, we have not received adequate compensation or meaningful support.
“Instead, what has been offered to our grieving people feels like salt added to their wounds, token gestures that do not meet the needs of mothers who have lost children or families who have been destroyed,” he added.
The traditional ruler described the killings as a national tragedy that must not be treated with kid gloves.
He pointed out that even the Governor of Nasarawa State had publicly raised the alarm about the influx of terrorists, showing his awareness of the threat and his willingness to confront it.
He said that federal security agencies had not matched that urgency in addressing the killings in Benue.
“Our prayer is that these relentless attacks will finally stop. That our people will return safely to their farms.
“We hope that meaningful relief and restoration will come to our communities,” he added.
Governor Alia welcomed the First Lady and thanked her for her compassion and generosity.
He renewed his call for the establishment of state and community policing as a means to improve security and prevent future attacks.
“The recent killings underscore the urgent need for state and community policing, which will ensure swift and timely response, effective intelligence gathering, and safer communities,” the governor said.
He described the First Lady’s visit as a “much-admired act of leadership, thoughtfulness, and empathy.”
Senator Tinubu urged the people of Benue State to embrace peace, dialogue, and tolerance as the only viable path to resolving conflict and achieving lasting unity.
“As a mother, I urge you all to bury any grievances and go back to cordial and peaceful co-existence. When there are disagreements, dialogue and patience remain the best solution, rather than violence. The way of peace is the way of love, and love is the greatest power on earth. Despite it suffers long, it conquers all things”, she said.
The First Lady emphasized that Nigeria’s diversity should be a strength and not a source of division.
“Our diversity is supposed to help us to grow as a people and not destroy us,” she remarked.
On behalf of her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), the First Lady presented a cheque of N1 billion to the state government to support victims of the attacks and assist them in the restoration of their livelihoods.
The First Lady assured stakeholders that the concerns and prayers raised during the visit would be relayed to President Bola Tinubu and the relevant federal authorities.
