The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday arrived in Benue State as part of efforts to end the fresh wave of deadly attacks that have left many residents dead in Yelewata village and other areas.
Benue State has faced repeated violent attacks blamed on suspected herdsmen invading farming communities. The most recent incident happened on Friday when gunmen stormed Yelewata village in Guma Local Government Area, killing several villagers.
Following the incident, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed security agencies to act quickly to stop the killings and restore peace to the state. “I have ordered security agencies to act swiftly, apprehend those responsible for these heinous acts, and ensure they face justice,” Tinubu said on Sunday.
In line with this order, the Inspector General arrived in Benue and directed the immediate deployment of additional tactical teams to the troubled areas. This was confirmed in a post by the Nigeria Police Force on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, @PoliceNG. The post reads: “IGP arrives Benue, orders for additional deployment of tactical teams.”
The move comes as calls grow on social media for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state. Residents have also expressed fear and concern over the latest two-day killing spree by suspected herders.
