Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, arrived in Benue State on Monday amid escalating violence that has left scores dead and hundreds displaced following brutal attacks by suspected herdsmen last Friday.
Benue, a key agricultural hub in Nigeria’s North Central region, has long been plagued by violent clashes often linked to deep-rooted inter-communal tensions and fierce competition over land between indigenous farming communities and nomadic cattle herders.
However, recent weeks have seen a sharp surge in attacks, with over 160 residents confirmed killed in a spate of assaults across several localities.
In response to the worsening security situation, President Bola Tinubu on Sunday ordered security agencies to intensify their efforts to restore peace. “The latest reports of wanton killings in Benue are deeply disturbing. This bloodshed must stop now—enough is enough,” the President declared.
He further instructed security chiefs to enforce decisive action, promising that all perpetrators—regardless of affiliation—would be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
With the IGP’s deployment of additional tactical teams, the federal government aims to crush the violence and bring lasting stability to the troubled state.
