Tinubu Visits Benue After Massacre of Over 200 Villagers by Suspected Herdsmen

President Bola Tinubu is visiting Benue State today, Wednesday, following widespread outrage over his silence after the brutal killing of over 200 villagers by suspected armed herdsmen in Yelewata and other communities.

The massacre, which took place last Friday, has been described by many residents as the deadliest in the state’s recent history, with entire communities—including women, children, and the elderly—reportedly slaughtered or burned alive. Tinubu had earlier announced plans to reschedule his commitments to pay a condolence visit to the grieving communities.

His delayed response drew sharp criticism from Nigerians, including civil society groups and human rights advocates. Many accused the president of being indifferent to the escalating violence in Benue and across parts of the southeast, where similar attacks have occurred.

In Yelewata alone, eyewitnesses say scores were killed in a night of terror that saw homes torched and entire families wiped out. Prior to this, suspected herdsmen had already carried out attacks in Apa and Gwer East LGAs, leaving trails of death and destruction.

The violence has since spilled beyond Benue, affecting Enugu and Abia states. In Isi-Uzo LGA of Enugu, armed men believed to be herdsmen killed more than 10 residents in the Aguamede community on Sunday. A similar attack in Mbuji Eha-Amufu last week claimed four more lives. Reports from these areas suggest that attackers sometimes arrive stealthily, avoiding gunfire to hack victims with machetes.

Sources in Aguamede also claimed a helicopter was seen circling the community hours before the latest killings, fueling speculation about a coordinated attack.

In Abia State, residents of Umunneochi and Isuikwuato LGAs have also faced deadly raids. On Monday, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, confirmed the latest assault, noting that security agencies had been placed on high alert. Locals said gunmen stormed villages at night, shooting indiscriminately and burning homes, forcing residents to flee into the bush.

Amid public outcry, human rights lawyer and former UN Special Rapporteur, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, urged the federal government to take decisive action. “Every Nigerian’s life matters. The government must act decisively and transparently to restore peace and rebuild trust in the system,” she stated.

Security expert and Managing Director of Beacon Consulting, Dr. Kabiru Adamu, weighed in on the president’s visit, calling it more of a “political gesture” than a security solution. Adamu said while the trip might ease political tensions in the state, it is crucial that the president initiates a robust, long-term security response.

“The visit itself is not a security approach. It is a political one,” Adamu said. “What we need is an effective security architecture that not only responds to attacks but prevents them altogether.”

As tensions rise and more lives are lost to violence, pressure is mounting on President Tinubu to match symbolic gestures with tangible security reforms to protect lives and property across Nigeria’s troubled regions.