Authorities in Benue State have apprehended several individuals believed to be connected to the recent massacre in Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area, where scores of residents were brutally killed in an assault suspected to have been carried out by armed herders.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Emenari Ifeanyi, confirmed the arrests during a press briefing on Sunday. Though he refrained from disclosing the identities or number of suspects, he emphasized that the breakthrough was largely due to strong support from Governor Hyacinth Alia and swift federal intervention.
The announcement comes days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a firm directive during his visit to Benue, demanding that Nigeria’s top security chiefs and the Inspector General of Police ensure that those responsible for the bloodshed are captured and prosecuted.
The police commissioner also revealed that deployments ordered by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, have arrived in Benue and are being dispatched to rural areas to reinforce law enforcement operations. Their primary focus is to enhance surveillance, deter future attacks, and boost public confidence in government responses to the crisis.
In addition, Emenari appealed to landlords, innkeepers, and residents across the state to cooperate with security agencies by closely monitoring their tenants and guests. “We urge everyone to help prevent criminal elements from infiltrating their communities. We must be vigilant in profiling strangers and reporting suspicious activity,” he stressed.
The arrests appear to be a direct response to President Tinubu’s criticism of security inaction during his on-the-ground assessment in Makurdi last Wednesday. Expressing frustration over the lack of immediate arrests following the massacre, the president told service chiefs, “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.”
Addressing the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, Tinubu further remarked, “You have given much. I watch your comments — you can’t be tired of staying in the bush. Oloyede and the Air Marshal, we thank all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground. Let’s get those criminals. Let’s get them out.”
He also directed Nigeria’s key intelligence heads, including the Director Generals of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), to “retool their information channels” and ensure intelligence-gathering is actionable and reliable moving forward.
The latest attack on Yelwata left dozens of people dead and thousands displaced, compounding the humanitarian crisis in a state already plagued by years of conflict over land and resources between farmers and pastoralists. Victims of the attack included women and children, while survivors fled to neighboring communities in search of safety.
This mass casualty incident has provoked widespread national condemnation and further spotlighted the intensifying security challenges in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, which continues to bear the brunt of violent clashes often blamed on herder militias.
While families of victims and displaced persons demand justice, the arrests signal a critical first step in the federal government’s broader promise to restore peace and protect lives in Benue and other volatile areas of the country.
What you should know
Following President Tinubu’s strong demand for arrests in the wake of the deadly Yelwata attack, Benue State Police have confirmed they’ve apprehended suspects linked to the killings.
While their identities remain undisclosed, the move is seen as the beginning of an intensified security response to ongoing violence in the region.
