‘Benue Insecurity Will No Longer Be Tolerated’ — IGP Disu Orders 14-Day Crackdown

Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has declared the persistent wave of killings and violent crimes in Benue State unacceptable, announcing a 14-day security operation to flush out armed criminals from identified flashpoints across the state.

 Speaking on Thursday at a stakeholders town hall meeting in Makurdi, the police chief said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed security agencies to bring an end to the worsening insecurity, insisting that the violence had become a source of fear for residents and security personnel alike.

“The insecurity in Benue is unacceptable. It has become a source of sleepless nights for the people and security agencies. Mr President has made it clear that this situation will no longer be tolerated,” Disu declared.

He described Benue, once regarded as one of Nigeria’s most peaceful and hospitable states, as being under siege from armed criminal herders, kidnappers, bandits, cult groups and other violent gangs.

The IGP warned that the recurring cycle of attacks and reprisals must end, urging communities to work closely with security agencies by providing credible intelligence capable of leading to the arrest of criminal elements.

He also cautioned young people against allowing themselves to be recruited by politicians and other influential individuals to perpetrate violence, particularly during election periods. 

“Young people often bear the greatest burden of these conflicts. Do not allow yourselves to be used as political thugs or agents of violence,” he warned.

Disu stressed that only authorised security personnel are permitted to bear firearms, adding that the police would intensify efforts to recover illegal weapons and dismantle armed criminal networks across the state.

He disclosed that officers had been directed to act decisively in line with Force Order 237 whenever confronted by armed criminals, while assuring residents that allegations of misconduct against police personnel would be thoroughly investigated.

Reaffirming the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to restoring peace, the IGP pledged to make Benue a regular destination until normalcy returns.

“The police belong to the people. We are here to serve, not to dominate. I will continue to visit Benue until lasting peace returns,” he said.

Also speaking, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force, Francis Iduh, announced that security agencies had identified 14 major flashpoints for intensive operations.

He said communities including Bajimba, Arufu, Agasha, Kwande, Agatu, Naka, Otukpo, Makurdi and Apa, among other vulnerable areas, would be the focus of a 14-day stability and clearance operation aimed at reclaiming forests, farmlands and criminal hideouts from armed groups.

“If communities partner with us and provide credible intelligence, we will deal with criminals without criminalising law-abiding citizens,” Iduh assured.

Governor Hyacinth Alia, who welcomed the police delegation, described the visit as timely, noting that insecurity continues to threaten lives, farming activities and Benue’s position as Nigeria’s food basket.

The governor said his administration had continued to support security agencies with operational vehicles, motorcycles, communication equipment and logistics, while pledging full support for the planned operation.

Alia also renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that officers familiar with local communities and terrain would be more effective in combating insecurity.

“The debate should no longer be whether we need state police, but how it should operate,” the governor said.

The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, identified armed criminal herders, indigenous armed gangs, communal conflicts and cult groups as the major security threats confronting the state. He also alleged that some political actors could be benefiting from the crisis and urged security agencies to investigate those sponsoring violence. 

He lamented that many communities had been displaced despite repeated intelligence reports warning of impending attacks and pledged the support of the Benue people in restoring peace.

Similarly, the Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Benue State, Alhaji Garba Baba, reaffirmed the commitment of the Muslim community to peaceful coexistence and support for ongoing security efforts. 

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Benue State, Rev. Jonathan Terwase Ugbede, urged security agencies to respond swiftly to intelligence, particularly threats circulated on social media, while advocating stronger collaboration with traditional rulers, youths and religious leaders to improve intelligence gathering.

The meeting ended with stakeholders agreeing that Benue’s security challenge has become increasingly complex, involving armed herders, kidnappers, cult groups, criminal gangs and alleged political interests, and that lasting peace can only be achieved through sustained collaboration between security agencies and local communities.