The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has arrived in Benue State, North Central Nigeria, where suspected herdsmen have killed scores and displaced hundreds of people in a series of attacks in recent weeks.
The IGP’s visit comes after President Bola Tinubu directed security chiefs to implement his earlier directive to bring lasting peace and security to the state.
The President also ordered the security agencies to act decisively and arrest perpetrators of the evil acts on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them.
Benue State has been under heavy attacks by suspected herdsmen for some time, with over 160 residents confirmed killed in the recent attacks.
The killings have lingered for years, with some linking it to inter-communal conflicts as well as the quest for land dominance between the autochthonous agrarian dwellers and nomadic cattle rearers.
The attacks have attracted outrage and protests, with youths in the state demanding action from the government to stop the killings.
The deployment of more tactical teams by the IGP is expected to enhance the security presence in the state and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The situation remains tense, and the people of Benue State are eagerly awaiting the restoration of peace and security.