Nigerian president orders crackdown on gangs after 150 killed in conflict-hit north

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday directed security agencies to hunt down the perpetrators of a weekend attack that killed at least 150 people in the country's northcentral, as he faces growing pressure over a worsening security crisis.

Tinubu visited Benue State, the site of the recent deadly attacks, seeking to calm tensions and promise justice for the victims. “We will restore peace, rebuild, and bring the perpetrators to justice. You are not alone,” the Nigerian leader said on X.

Assailants stormed Benue state’s Yelewata community from Friday night till Saturday morning, opening fire on villagers who were asleep and setting their homes ablaze, survivors and the local farmers' union said. Many of those killed were sheltering in a local market after fleeing violence in other parts of the state.

Authorities in Benue state blamed herdsmen for the attack, a type of violence frequently seen in northern Nigeria's decades-long pastoral conflict.

Opposition leaders and critics have accused Tinubu of a delayed response to the killings, noting his office stated over 24 hours after the attack. His visit to the state occurred five days later.

The Nigerian leader travelled to Makurdi, Benue State’s capital, where he visited a hospital to see those injured in the attack and met with local leaders to discuss how to end the killings. He did not visit the Yelewata community.

He also appeared to reprimand the police for not making any arrests yet, more than four days after the killings.

“How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu said as he addressed senior police officers during a gathering in Benue.

Analysts blame Nigeria's worsening security crisis on a lack of political will to go after criminals and ensure justice for victims.

“In the end, the result is the same: No justice, no accountability, and no closure for the victims and their communities," said Senator Iroegbu, a security analyst based in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. “Until this changes, impunity will remain the norm, and such tragedies will continue to occur.”