The Tor Tiv and Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, Prof. James Ayatse, has declared that President Bola Tinubu possesses the political strength and resolve to bring lasting peace to Nigeria, particularly in Benue State, which continues to suffer relentless attacks.
Ayatse made this statement on Wednesday during a town hall meeting in Makurdi, which was convened following the recent killing of over 200 people in the Yelwata community, Guma Local Government Area.
The traditional ruler expressed deep concern over what he described as a systematic and deliberate extermination of his people, rather than the often-described clashes.
“There is genocide going on in our land. It is not clash, but a well-orchestrated, well-coordinated attack aimed at wiping out our people,” Ayatse said.
Recalling the historical sacrifices made by the Tiv people for Nigeria’s unity, the Tor Tiv noted that many from Benue had lost their lives during the Nigerian Civil War in service to the nation. He expressed dismay that despite their sacrifices, his people were being targeted in a manner that suggests a plan to erase them from their ancestral lands.
“Many of our people died during the Civil War; we paid the supreme price to keep this country united,” he said. “We know you are a courageous leader. You are a focused leader. You are a determined leader. You have the courage and the political will to end this menace.”
Ayatse referenced President Tinubu’s track record of making bold decisions, including subsidy removal and reforms in the foreign exchange sector, as proof of his capacity to take action where others have failed.
“You have taken hard decisions and actions that many people before you did not dare,” he stated. “You have handled the subsidy removal challenge of this country. The exchange rate investment decisions, you have taken them. I believe you can give us peace. All we ask of you is peace.”
The traditional ruler stressed that the people of Benue, most of whom are farmers, need peace to return to their lands and continue with agricultural activities. However, he lamented that those very lands have been overrun by violent attackers, making it impossible for farmers to work.
Ayatse also drew attention to the plight of Tiv people in Nasarawa State, noting that they too had been forced from their ancestral homes and wrongly labelled as “settlers.”
“They have been in Nasarawa State before the 18th century. They cannot be settlers. They need to go back to their ancestral homes to continue with their lives,” he said.
He thanked the President for personally visiting Benue in their moment of sorrow and described the visit as a powerful gesture of solidarity. According to the monarch, this demonstration of concern would not go unnoticed by the people of Benue who voted for Tinubu in 2023 and would continue to stand with him in the days ahead.
“You have come to identify with us personally in our moment of grief, and we deeply appreciate that,” Ayatse said.
His remarks were part of a broader appeal to the federal government to prioritize the restoration of peace in Benue and surrounding states facing similar humanitarian crises, and to address what locals have described as years of abandonment in the face of mounting insecurity.
What You Should Know
Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, believes President Tinubu has the strength and political resolve to end the ongoing killings in Benue, which he described as genocide.
He urged the President to act swiftly, pointing to Tinubu’s history of bold reforms as proof he can restore lasting peace. Ayatse also highlighted the suffering of Tiv people in Nasarawa and called for their return to ancestral lands.
