The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has commenced high-level consultations with traditional authorities in Benue State as part of the steps to implement President Bola Tinubu’s directive to form a Peace Committee aimed at addressing the state’s worsening security crisis.
In a statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Terrence Kuanum, the SGF was said to have visited the Tor Tiv, James Ortese Ayatse, and the Och’Idoma, John Elaigwu Odogbo, at their respective palaces in Makurdi and Otukpo.
The meetings formed the initial stages of a broader engagement to structure the composition and mandate of the presidentially backed Peace Committee.
Akume explained that the Peace Committee, announced by President Tinubu during his recent condolence visit to Benue State, is envisioned as a multi-stakeholder platform to spearhead community-based conflict resolution and promote security in rural communities.
He noted that the traditional rulers would be integral members of the committee, a move designed to ensure cultural legitimacy and grassroots ownership of the peace-building process.
The SGF emphasized that the president’s concern for Benue’s security challenges stems from the state’s pivotal role in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and its strategic contribution to national food security. According to Akume, recurring attacks and displacement threaten not only local livelihoods but the country’s broader development goals.
Expressing appreciation to the traditional rulers for their warm reception of the president during his visit, Akume urged them to take active roles in safeguarding their communities and restoring communal trust. He stressed the need for collective consensus and prompt implementation of recommendations from the Peace Committee.
Both the Tor Tiv and the Och’Idoma welcomed the initiative and assured the SGF of their full cooperation. They praised the Federal Government’s effort in acknowledging the scale of the crisis and pledged to mobilize their communities in support of the peace process.
Akume was accompanied during the consultations by prominent Benue indigenes, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the bipartisan commitment to finding a solution.
The security crisis in Benue has escalated over the years, with the Tor Tiv previously describing the attacks as “a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits.” The toll from recent violence has drawn both domestic and international condemnation. Pope Leo XIV, reacting to the massacre in Yelewata, called it “a terrible tragedy,” demanding urgent intervention.
The latest attack in Yelewata, which triggered President Tinubu’s visit, saw scores of residents murdered and thousands displaced. While official figures place the death toll at 59, civil society organizations have put the number above 200. The attacks have exacerbated tensions between indigenous farming populations and nomadic pastoralist groups, deepening ethnic and religious fault lines in the state.
During his visit on Wednesday, President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with stakeholders at the Government House in Makurdi. He openly criticized the absence of arrests in connection with the violence, directing security chiefs to intensify their operations. “Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made?” he queried.
He also challenged senior military officers present, including the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector General of Police, and the Air Marshal, urging them to redouble their commitment to capturing those behind the attacks. “Christopher, 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 you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground. Let’s get those criminals. Let’s get them out,” Tinubu charged.
In addition to the formation of the Peace Committee, the president directed national intelligence agencies to bolster surveillance and intelligence gathering efforts across Benue. He was accompanied on the visit by Governor Hyacinth Alia, NSA Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Akume, members of the National Assembly, and top military personnel. The day was declared a public holiday by the state government in recognition of the president’s solidarity visit.
What you should know
Senator George Akume’s consultations with traditional rulers mark the official start of President Tinubu’s Peace Committee initiative in Benue, aimed at restoring calm after deadly attacks that claimed over 200 lives.
The initiative includes prominent royal figures and seeks to blend local leadership with federal support in addressing security challenges tied to land disputes and displacement.
