Nigeria security officials have received a clear direction from President Bola Tinubu to carry out his previous directives to bring peace and order back to places that have been ravaged, with a focus on Benue State.
Additionally, Tinubu charged Hyacinth Alia, the governor of Benue State, with the pressing duty of arranging sessions for reconciliation amongst the state’s warring factions.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made this revelation in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the statement, President Tinubu called on Governor Alia to urgently initiate dialogue between warring parties, including farmers, herders, and local communities.
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“The purpose of this is to end the cycle of violence and foster peaceful coexistence,” he said.
The President called the deaths “inhuman and anti-progress” and asked community and political leaders to avoid making rash remarks that may further escalate tensions.
Additionally, he cautioned against any aggressive behaviour that would intensify the conflict.
“The latest news of wanton killings in Benue State is very depressing. We must not allow this bloodletting to continue unabated. Enough is now enough,” he said.
“I have directed the security agencies to act decisively and arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them. Political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings,” he added.
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In addition, the President emphasised the need for a collective and united approach to peacebuilding, calling on Governor Alia to lead a process of dialogue and reconciliation.
“This is the time for Governor Alia to act as a statesman and immediately lead the process of dialogue and reconciliation that will bring peace to Benue. Our people must live in peace, and it is possible when leaders across the divides work together in harmony and differences are identified and addressed with fairness, openness, and justice,” the statement concluded.
