President Tinubu to Address Rising Insecurity as Death Toll Rises in Plateau and Benue
President Tinubu to Address Rising Insecurity as Death Toll Rises in Plateau and Benue
President Bola Tinubu is set to convene a meeting with the nation’s service chiefs to address the escalating violence and killings in Plateau, Benue, and other regions upon his return to Abuja from a two-week working visit to Paris.
Tinubu arrived back in the capital on Monday night after an 18-day schedule in Paris and London. His flight landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport around 9:50 PM, as confirmed by the State House media office.
Since his departure on April 2, over 120 residents have been reported killed by armed groups, with numerous homes destroyed and approximately 3,000 people displaced despite the presence of security forces. In Benue State alone, at least 56 individuals lost their lives in the Logo and Gbagir areas due to coordinated attacks attributed to armed herders.
Sources indicate that the President is seriously alarmed by the deteriorating security conditions and intends to meet promptly with the service chiefs and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to discuss the issue. A senior official told The PUNCH that the upcoming security meeting will focus on the uptick in violence and strategies to address it.
“The President will definitely engage with the service chiefs to evaluate the security landscape nationwide, particularly in hotspots like Plateau, Benue, and Borno. Even while abroad, he has been receiving security updates and issuing directives to the military leaders. He aims to meet with his security team and relevant ministers,” the official noted.
Additionally, the Presidency has placed some responsibility on state governors for the increase in violent incidents, particularly in Plateau, Benue, and Enugu States. It highlighted the inadequate funding of security services in these states despite significant security allocations.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, expressed concern during an appearance on TVC’s Beyond the Headlines, revealing that some governors allocate as little as N20 million monthly for security forces while their security votes amount to billions. “Where are we heading?” he questioned.
On the issue of state police demands, Bwala argued that such calls are a reflection of weak local governance.
In a related call for action, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, the Eselu of Iselu Kingdom in Ogun State, urged President Tinubu to take decisive measures to combat the rising insecurity across the nation. He condemned the recent killings in Plateau and Benue, stating that no responsible government should permit such a dangerous trend to persist.
“Mr. President must take strong action to halt this madness. The current levels of insecurity in Nigeria have created a troubling industry for those who benefit from the ongoing violence and mayhem,” the monarch remarked.
Furthermore, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre has called for a united response to the killings of innocent Nigerians, emphasizing the urgent need to curb the nation’s escalating trauma. This appeal was made by Executive Director Auwal Musa Rafsanjani in a statement released to the press on Monday.
