President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to visit Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, in response to renewed violence and deadly herdsmen attacks that have claimed over 200 lives in recent weeks.
The presidency confirmed the visit on Monday, stating that the president would temporarily shelve his previously planned engagement in Kaduna to prioritize a humanitarian and security response to the escalating crisis in Benue.
The visit comes amid public outrage over the government’s perceived slow reaction to the massacre in the Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area and other affected regions. The attacks have displaced thousands and fueled tension across the Middle Belt.
“President Tinubu has directed all relevant federal agencies to scale up immediate relief and security interventions in Benue. He will be in the state on Wednesday to personally assess the situation, commiserate with the victims and their families, and meet with stakeholders,” presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement.
Ahead of the president’s visit, high-ranking federal officials including the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services have been dispatched to coordinate ground operations. Relief materials are also being mobilized for distribution to internally displaced persons (IDPs).
During his visit, Tinubu is expected to hold a town hall meeting with local leaders, traditional rulers, youth representatives, and humanitarian actors in Makurdi. Discussions will focus on lasting security solutions, improved federal-state collaboration, and post-conflict rebuilding efforts.
The president’s trip follows mounting pressure from human rights organizations, opposition parties, and civil society groups who criticized the government for what they described as “a failure to act swiftly” in the face of the growing bloodshed.
Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia welcomed the president’s visit, describing it as “timely and necessary,” and called for urgent deployment of more troops and long-term reforms in the country’s security architecture.
This will be Tinubu’s first official visit to Benue since taking office in May 2023, and it is expected to set the tone for broader national discussions on farmer-herder conflict, displacement, and community security.
