Benue Massacre: Gov. Alia mobilises mourning residents to give Tinubu rousing welcome
Barely three days after over hundred people were killed in Yelewata , governor Alia Hyacinth, has ordered mourning Benue residents to give President Bola Tinubu a rousing and colourful welcome to the state on Wednesday.
A letter from the governor’ office dated June 17, signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Special Groups Mobilization, Francis U. Ngutswen, directed that people be “mobilize massively to give a rousing welcome to our President.”
“I am pleased to notify you at the instance of our dear Governor, His Excellency Fr Dr Hyacinth lormem Alia, the Leader of All Progressives Congress in Benue State, to mobilize massively to give a rousing welcome to our President,” the letter read.
It added, “The Support Groups Constituency is required to form a colourful shoulder-to-shoulder spread/procession from Airport to Wurukum Roundabout and down to Government House Makurdi where the President will address a Town-hall Meeting.”
The President’s visit is coming amid global outrage over killing of hundreds in Yelewata in Guma local government area over the weekend.
Motivated by global uproar on the killings, Mr Tinubu, who kept quiet over the matter 24 hours after the incident, on Monday announced he would visit Benue State.
Condemning the attack on Benue communities, Amnesty International in a statement on Saturday, said “The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday 14 June 2025, shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working. The Nigerian authorities’ failure to stem the violence is costing people’s lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action many more lives may be lost.”
The United Nations and Pope Leo XIV in Vatican also condemned the killings, urging Nigerian authorities to protect citizens from incessant attacks.
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