Crime
Tinubu appoints Atom Kpera, Other Former Govs to end Benue killings
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday set up a committee to help restore sustainable peace to Benue State following last Friday’s massacre in Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, which saw around 200 people killed.
Members of the peace committee selected by the President include former Military Governor of Benue State, Gen Atom Kpera (retd.), Senator George Akume, Senator Gabriel Suswam and Samuel Ortom — all former Benue governors.
The Paramount Ruler of Tiv Nation and Chairman, Traditional Council, Benue State, HRM Prof. James Ayatse and Paramount Ruler of Idomaland, the Ochidoma, HRM Dr John Elaigwu, are also on the team.
Advising the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on the importance of stakeholder management for peaceful and progressive governance, Tinubu urged the governor to champion the activities of the peace committee, which also includes federal officials, and non-indigenes living in the state.
“Let us meet again in Abuja. Let’s fashion out a framework for lasting peace. I am ready to invest in that peace. I assure you, we will find peace. We will convert this tragedy into prosperity,” the President told Alia at a town hall meeting at the Benue State Government House banquet hall in Makurdi, the capital city.
The meeting included the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume, traditional rulers and former governors of the state. The governors of Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, and Nasarawa also attended the meeting.
Tinubu stated that the peace effort would yield sustainable results only if it were broad-based and collaborative, calling for synergy with neighbouring Nasarawa State, whose governor, Abdullahi Sule, was also present at the meeting.
“I want the traditional rulers — the Tor Tiv, the Och’Idoma and others to be included in this peace committee.
“The Governor of Nasarawa is here and the Governor of Benue is here, let’s create that synergy for peace, development, and prosperity.
“We’re here to govern, not to bury. We’re here to raise families, not to lose some,” he said.
The President called on the people of Benue to support Governor Alia, urging communities to embrace peace and inclusion.
“This is a very critical time. The governor needs your help. Let’s have a committee with non-indigenes incorporated.”
He assured the state of the Federal Government’s backing and his personal resolve to end the cycle of bloodshed, saying, “I give you the assurance that we will find peace, we will convert this tragedy to prosperity again and again.”
Suspected armed herders stormed Yelewata village in Guma LGA of Benue State late Friday, June 13, unleashing one of the deadliest assaults the state has seen in years.
Amnesty International and local official reports say that at least 100 residents were killed, dozens remain missing, and hundreds are nursing gunshot and burn wounds after attackers set houses ablaze through the early hours of Saturday.
The Police confirmed the raid, with some sources putting the casualty figure at around 200. Many victims were internally displaced people who had taken refuge in the village after earlier attacks.
The Benue State government said it has launched a manhunt, but residents fear more reprisals as the rainy season, peak period for disputed grazing and planting, sets in.
Pope Francis prayed for the “terrible massacre” during his Sunday Angelus.
It is the latest cycle of violence linked to farmer-herder tensions, banditry and a security vacuum that rights groups say allows perpetrators to act with “utter impunity.”
At Wednesday’s town hall meeting, Tinubu directed the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to immediately arrest those who perpetrated the heinous killings.
“I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals. Let’s get those criminals,” Tinubu told the IGP.
While thanking the military high command for their response so far, the President expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of arrests days after the mass slaughter.
“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals.
“Christopher (Chief of Defence Staff), thank you very much. I watched your comments. I know you can’t be tired of staying in the bush, including Oluyede (Chief of Army Staff) and the Air Marshal.
“Thanks to all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground. Let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out,” he said.
Tinubu also charged the heads of intelligence agencies to improve their surveillance and response systems.
“DG NIA and DG DSS, retool your information channels and let’s have tangible intelligence that this will not occur again,” the President said.
He urged Governor Alia to allocate land for ranching and directed the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to follow up.
He called for blood donations to support those receiving treatment at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where he had earlier visited victims and medical staff.
While underscoring the importance of peace for sustainable development, President Tinubu implored the Governor to ensure Benue was peaceful, adding that the circumstances of his visit this time should not have been a reason to visit.
“I wanted to come here to commission projects, to reassure you of hope and prosperity, not to see gloomy faces. But peace is vital to development,” he said.
“The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people.
“Governor Alia, you were elected under the progressive banner to ensure peace, stability, and progress. You are not elected to bury people or comfort widows and orphans. We will work with you to achieve that peace. You must also work with us.
“Not everyone will like you in politics. They hate me, too — like hell. But here I am, still your President. I made a promise to protect democracy, freedom, and prosperity, even for my abusers and accusers. That’s leadership.”
Alia’s plea
In his remarks, Governor Alia appealed to the Federal Government to establish a Special Intervention Fund for communities affected by repeated violent attacks across Benue State.
“Your Excellency, while we continue to mourn our losses and rebuild from the ashes of pain, we humbly urge the Federal Government to consider establishing a special intervention fund for communities affected by these incessant attacks in Benue State,” he said.
Governor Alia said the fund would support the rehabilitation of displaced persons, reconstruction of destroyed homes and infrastructure, and the restoration of livelihoods, especially for farmers.
He reiterated his support for establishing state police as a lasting solution to insecurity, while pledging his administration’s full commitment to building a safe, stable, prosperous Benue State.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse, praised President Tinubu for being the first sitting President to personally visit victims in the hospital in the wake of such a tragedy.
On the recurring spate of insecurity in the state, the monarch took time to address misinformation and mischaracterisation, saying that land grabbing was at the core of the decades-long conflict.
“Your Excellency, it is not herder-farmer clashes. It is not communal clashes. It is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes.
“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder-terrorists and bandits,” the monarch told Tinubu.
He cautioned that mischaracterising the crisis had led to inadequate responses and accused some political actors of exploiting the situation for selfish gains.
“Politicians in the state are busy politicising the crisis, passing blames instead of joining hands to address the crisis. We hear that some politicians would even prefer that the crisis worsen, so it would serve as a basis for declaring a state of emergency.
“This is unfortunate. Any politician who prays for more people to die for such a project is working against the wishes of the people of Benue State,” he said.
He therefore appealed to President Tinubu to restore peace to the state and every part of Nigeria.
“All we ask of you, sir, is to stop our weeping. Give us peace in Benue State, so our people, primarily farmers, can return to their farms and continue to produce food for Nigeria.
“I heard a story about a challenge in a place in Kwara State, and you rose and gave them peace in Kaiama. You can do that for Benue.”
Killings condemned
Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum on Wednesday strongly condemned what it described as the persistent wave of killings and violence engulfing Benue State.
It described the situation as “genocide” and a direct consequence of government inaction, political complicity, and systemic collapse.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jiddere, the forum stated, “The situation has degenerated into unrestrained bloodshed and lawlessness, turning communities into killing fields and exposing the utter collapse of governance, accountability, and security.
“Benue State, one of Nigeria’s critical agricultural hubs, plays a vital role in national food production, youth and women’s employment, and economic stability. Today, this once-thriving state is under siege.
“The lives of its innocent citizens are being violently cut short, and its socio-economic structure is being systematically destroyed, while the government stands by in silence, helplessness, or worse, complicity.”
It added, “In Guma and Logo local government areas, another 200 lives were wiped out. Thousands have been displaced into squalid, unsafe IDP camps with no access to healthcare, clean water, or basic necessities.
“Medical services are overstretched and collapsing. Women, children, and the elderly are dying in silence while the government looks away.
“Let it be clearly stated: this is not an ethnic conflict, as it is deceptively portrayed. It is an internal political crisis, one that has been allowed to fester due to criminal negligence, partisan interests, and a complete failure of leadership.”
Also, a religious group, the Concerned Christian Youth Forum, expressed concern over the recent spate of violence in Benue State, calling on authorities to strengthen efforts to restore peace and protect lives.
In a statement on Wednesday by its convener, James Adama, the group appealed to young people in the state to remain vigilant and play a role in safeguarding their communities, while urging leaders at all levels to take decisive steps toward enhancing security.
The group said, “The systematic extermination of innocent civilians has reached a level that words cannot adequately describe.
“The suffering of the Benue people is a tragic reminder of our collective failure to protect them from those who seek to continue the rain of violence and chaos.
“We mourn with the families who have lost loved ones and call for urgent action to ensure peace and stability return to the affected areas.
“We stand in solidarity with you and are committed to working together to ensure that justice is served and that the perpetrators of these heinous acts are held accountable for their actions.”
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said some bandits he engaged with claimed they could not abandon their violent activities because they feared being killed if they surrendered or gave up their weapons.
Gumi said the armed men described the persistent attacks as a cycle of revenge, alleging that military operations and killings in their communities had fuelled their resolve to continue attacking.
According to the cleric, some of the bandits admitted that the bloodshed had become excessive but insisted they felt compelled to sustain the violence in retaliation for attacks against their communities.
“One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much,” Gumi said.
He added, “They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it.”
Gumi made the remarks during an interview on PAPShow, published on October 29, with excerpts from the conversation circulating widely on social media on Tuesday.
Explaining the grievances of the armed groups, the cleric said they accused security forces and local vigilantes of killing women and children during operations initially aimed at tackling cattle rustling.
He said the bandits questioned the killing of civilians in their communities and viewed such incidents as justification for retaliatory attacks.
“But why did they kill their women and children? Why are they killing their women and children? Why are the vigilantes arresting them and killing them? Why?” he quoted the bandits as asking.
Gumi said the armed men believed the situation had degenerated into a cycle of violence characterised by revenge, attacks and counterattacks.
“So, they feel it’s a field of blood, revenge, attack and counterattack,” he said.
The cleric called for negotiations to end the killings, arguing that religious leaders should help create an avenue for dialogue between the parties.
“So, we, as clergy, our own duty is to look at how to stop it. Let’s stop the bloodshed. Let’s come to the table,” he said.
Asked why the bandits could not abandon their activities, Gumi attributed their reluctance to fears that they would be killed if they surrendered.
“Because they thought they were killed. So, we need to reaffirm to them, to put confidence in them that they will not be killed,” he said.
The cleric also alleged that financial sponsorship and rivalry among armed groups were contributing to the proliferation of sophisticated weapons.
Asked whether individuals were financing the bandits, Gumi said such a possibility could not be ruled out.
“It’s possible now. You know, it’s possible now,” he said.
He explained that rival groups were acquiring more powerful weapons to outmatch and intimidate one another, creating what he described as an arms race.
“They buy more weapons because there’s an arms race between them. You know, there are different groups.
“There’s an arms race. So, this den has more machine guns than this one. So, they should fear them,” he said.
On the source of the firearms, Gumi claimed that the armed groups obtained weapons through illegal markets, where buyers could access them if they had the money.
“Well, it’s a black market, like drugs. It’s a black market. If you just have the money, you get them,” he said.
Gumi further alleged that foreign intelligence agencies were involved in supplying weapons to armed groups operating in Nigeria, although he did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.
“Foreign intelligence definitely have a hand in it,” he said.
Asked whether foreign countries could be supplying weapons to Nigerian bandits and terrorists, the cleric said it was possible, suggesting that countries with strategic interests in Nigeria could be involved.
“It’s possible,” he replied.
…Ondo State Police Arrest Suspect, Recover Three Bags of Fake Dollar Notes
Men of the Ondo State Police Command have uncovered a suspected counterfeit United States dollar printing factory in Kiniso Village, via Ajue, Odigbo Local Government Area, arresting one suspect and recovering three bags of suspected fake dollar notes.
The operation followed a complaint by a businessman, Yusuf Nasiru, from Sabo, Okitipupa, who allegedly lost $6,000, equivalent to about N8.6 million, to two men in a fraudulent foreign exchange transaction.
The suspects reportedly approached Nasiru for a currency exchange transaction but allegedly returned counterfeit dollar notes to him.
According to Nasiru, the incident occurred on October 25, 2026, when two men, identified as Peter Desmond and Olami Toro, visited his shop and requested to exchange United States dollars for their naira equivalent.
He said he handed over $6,000 to the men but they later returned the money, claiming they did not have enough funds to complete the transaction, before leaving.
Nasiru said he subsequently discovered that the dollar notes returned to him were counterfeit and reported the incident to the police on October 28.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest and discovery of the suspected printing factory, said detectives immediately commenced an investigation following the complaint.
Jimoh said operatives from the Okitipupa Divisional Police Headquarters launched an investigation, while intelligence gathering and technical tracking led them to Kiniso Village, where one of the suspects was traced.
He disclosed that police operatives raided the suspected hideout on October 29 following intelligence provided by members of the community.
However, some occupants reportedly escaped through the perimeter fence during the operation.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of three bags containing suspected counterfeit United States dollar notes and a small wooden box believed to be connected to the alleged illegal printing operation.
The arrested suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, reportedly provided useful information to assist the ongoing investigation.
The police spokesman said the command had ordered an intensified investigation to apprehend other members of the suspected criminal network and establish the full extent of its operations.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to bringing all those found culpable to justice and warned members of the public against engaging in suspicious foreign exchange transactions with unverified individuals.
Jimoh also advised residents to authenticate foreign currencies before accepting them and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected kidnapper while attempting to collect a ₦200,000 ransom from a female resident of Nasarawa State.
The suspect, identified as Mukaila Iliyasu, was apprehended at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area of the state during a joint intelligence-led operation involving troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, and DSS operatives.
The arrest followed intelligence reports that the suspect had allegedly threatened to abduct a woman unless she paid him ₦200,000.
The Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement.
According to the statement, DSS operatives alerted the military to the threat on October 29, prompting the deployment of security personnel to track down the suspect and prevent the planned abduction.
In a coordinated operation, a soldier reportedly went undercover and posed as the person assigned to deliver the ransom.
The suspect was subsequently arrested while collecting the money, with operatives recovering the sum of ₦200,000 believed to be the ransom demanded from the intended victim.
The military described the operation as a successful intelligence-driven intervention that prevented a possible kidnapping and demonstrated the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in tackling criminal activities.
Following his arrest, Iliyasu was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding, 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, commended the troops and DSS operatives for their professionalism, courage and effective coordination.
Gara urged security personnel to sustain their collaboration and strengthen intelligence sharing to combat kidnapping and other security threats across their areas of responsibility.
He also emphasised the importance of continued cooperation among security agencies in protecting lives, securing communities and maintaining peace in the region.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a Benue-based pastor, Edwin Nwabueze, and his alleged accomplice, Sadiq Jamiu, in connection with the theft of a Toyota Camry in Abuja.
The vehicle was reportedly stolen at UTC Plaza in Garki, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of Nwabueze at his residence on October 27, 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, disclosed that Nwabueze identified himself as a pastor with Salvation Power Bible Ministry in the North Bank area of Benue State.
The suspect, who hails from Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, reportedly led police operatives to another location where Jamiu was subsequently arrested.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that Nwabueze had previously been arrested by the Benue State Police Command in connection with vehicle theft cases.
The command further alleged that both suspects belonged to an interstate car theft syndicate specialising in stealing and selling vehicles across different states.
Police authorities said investigations were ongoing to uncover the full extent of the syndicate’s activities and track down other members currently at large.
The suspects remain in police custody and are expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The family of a 46-year-old Ondo State businessman, Kayode Akinbolusere, popularly known as Tolufe, has raised suspicions over the circumstances surrounding his death, calling on security agencies to investigate claims that he may have been forced to record a farewell video before his demise.
Akinbolusere, who owned Esther Estate in Ondo State, was reportedly found dead in his office in Igba on Thursday after allegedly ingesting a poisonous substance.
Before his death, the businessman reportedly recorded a video in which he reflected on his personal struggles, acknowledged his wife’s support over the years and expressed his intention to leave his properties to her and their three children residing in Canada.
In the footage, which subsequently circulated on social media, Akinbolusere maintained that he was making the declaration voluntarily and had not been pressured by anyone.
He recalled starting his business from scratch and praised his wife, Esther, for standing by him during difficult times, particularly when he worked as a barber.
However, the deceased’s uncle, Femi Akinbolusere, has questioned the circumstances surrounding the recording, suggesting that his nephew’s statements and mannerisms raised serious concerns.
Speaking with newsmen, Femi wondered why the businessman repeatedly spoke about surrendering his properties, alleging that he might have been acting under duress.
He urged investigators to critically examine the footage to establish whether another person was present or exerting pressure on the deceased.
The grieving uncle further demanded an autopsy to determine the actual cause of death, insisting that the family deserved answers.
According to him, the circumstances surrounding the incident were too suspicious to be dismissed without a comprehensive investigation.
He also called on the police to question individuals who might have information about the businessman’s final moments, including his wife.
Police Recover Suspected Poison Bottles, Rule Out Visible Signs of Violence
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command has confirmed that an investigation has commenced into the incident.
In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed that the businessman, a resident of Road 7, Housing Estate, Igba, was discovered dead in his office beside BOVAS Petrol Station at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday.
According to the police, operatives from the Bolorunduro Division visited the scene following a report of the incident and recovered two empty bottles suspected to have contained Sniper insecticide from a nearby bush.
The command also acknowledged the existence of the viral video in which the deceased reportedly lamented his personal difficulties.
Police said his remains had been evacuated to the State Hospital Morgue for preservation and further examination.
Although preliminary examination revealed no visible injuries or signs of violence on his body, the command maintained that investigations were ongoing.
The family’s allegations of possible coercion have not been independently established, while the precise circumstances surrounding Akinbolusere’s death remain under investigation.
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