Tinubu Visits Hospitalised Victims Of Benue Attack.
President Bola Tinubu made a poignant visit to Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, to offer condolences and support to victims of the recent deadly attack in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area. The assault, which occurred on 13-14 June, claimed over 200 lives, with many others injured and displaced, as suspected armed herders stormed the community, setting homes ablaze and targeting internally displaced persons sheltering in a local market.
Landing at the Tactical Air Command, Nigerian Air Force Base, Makurdi, around 12:58 pm, Tinubu proceeded to the Benue State Teaching Hospital, where he met with survivors and medical staff, expressing empathy and reinforcing his administration’s commitment to their well-being.
The visit, a significant gesture, marked the first time a sitting Nigerian president has personally visited victims of such an attack in a hospital, according to the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council.
The president’s itinerary included a town hall meeting at the Benue State Government House Banquet Hall, where he engaged with key stakeholders, including traditional rulers, former governors, and community leaders, to address the escalating violence in the region.
Tinubu condemned the attacks as “inhuman and anti-progress,” urging security agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators. He voiced frustration over the lack of arrests, stating, “How come no one has been arrested for this heinous crime? The criminals must be caught.” He also tasked the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) with improving intelligence-gathering to prevent further atrocities, underscoring the need for actionable results to restore calm to affected communities.
Tinubu’s visit was not without criticism, as opposition leaders and Benue’s diaspora communities noted a delayed response, with the presidency issuing a statement over 24 hours after the attack. Critics, including Lawyers Alert, rejected the characterisation of the violence as a “farmer-herder conflict,” calling it a “genocide” and demanding justice before reconciliation efforts.
The president proposed the formation of a peace and reconciliation committee, to be led by Governor Hyacinth Alia, involving former governors, traditional rulers, and non-indigenes, with a follow-up meeting planned in Abuja. He also called for blood donations to support the injured and directed the Minister of Agriculture to allocate land for ranching to mitigate future conflicts, a suggestion met with mixed reactions due to historical resistance to such initiatives in southern states.
The visit has drawn global attention, with figures like Pope Leo XIV describing the Yelewata massacre as a “terrible massacre” during his Sunday Angelus. The Benue crisis, rooted in longstanding tensions over land and resources, continues to challenge Nigeria’s security framework. Tinubu’s pledge to “convert this tragedy into prosperity” through collaborative peace efforts and sustainable development has raised hopes, but analysts like Senator Iroegbu warn that without arrests and accountability, impunity will persist.
The president’s actions in Benue are seen as a critical test of his administration’s resolve to address Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, particularly in the north-central region