Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has arrived in Benue State and ordered the immediate deployment of additional tactical units to the area following a wave of murderous attacks that have claimed numerous lives.
The development was confirmed in a brief statement released by the Nigeria Police Force on Monday through X.
“IGP arrives Benue, orders for additional deployment of tactical teams,” the statement said.
After a two-day killing spree by suspected herders, the deployment coincides with growing public outrage and social media calls for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Benue.
It was reported that at least 45 people were confirmed dead in Guma Local Government Area, though local leaders estimate the toll could exceed 200, with reports of entire families burned alive and security officers among the victims.
Nigerians have widely criticised the federal silence over the Benue massacres, contrasting it with the government’s swift response to the political unrest in Rivers State in March, which saw the declaration of a state of emergency without any reported deaths.
