Killings: Tinubu Govt Exposes Benue State Governor, Alia Over Herdsmen Attacks
Benue residents were killed last week after heavily armed attackers invaded the Yelewata community, a situation President Bola Tinubu’s government blamed on Governor Hyacinth Alia’s alleged failure to act on a detailed security report on his desk.
Between 11:00 p.m. Friday and the wee hours of Saturday, scores of suspected herdsmen attacked Yelewata, torching homes of farmers and their families, including women and children and leaving charred skulls in their wake.
But the presidency said the Benue massacre could have been averted had Mr Alia not ignored the security report prepared by a league of retired generals on how to address the herder-farmer violent clashes. The presidency disclosed that the military document was “handed” to the Benue governor about two years ago.
Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare asked Mr Alia to “dust up” the document and implement the security recommendations.
“League of Retired Generals from Benue State 18 months ago handed a security brief to Governor Hycent (sic) Alia,” Mr Dare wrote in a statement on Tuesday. “This is the time to dust up that document as President Tinubu charges all Stakeholders in Benue to find a lasting solution to the incessant farmers-herders clash.”
The governor’s spokesperson, Tersoo Kula, told Peoples Gazette he needed time to verify Mr Dare’s allegation and “respond accordingly.”
Messrs Tinubu and Alia have come under scathing criticisms for their handling of the unfettered, ferocious attack that killed hundreds of locals, including women and children.
Mr Tinubu, who had waited for more than 24 hours before condemning the attack, is scheduled to visit Benue on Wednesday.
According to Mr Dare, past and current politicians, including lawmakers and ministers, had trooped to Makurdi ahead of Mr Tinubu’s visit.
“This time, a renewed commitment to stopping the bloodletting and finding a lasting solution seems on hand,” Mr Dare assured. “They have come around because they also believe that President Tinubu will engage and ensure that peace returns.”
Already, the governor had rallied grieving residents to come out massively to give Mr Tinubu a “rousing welcome” despite the doom and gloom that has enveloped the state while he opposed the idea of self-defence for the locals.
