BREAKING: IGP Egbetokun storms Benue, deploys more officers to stop killings

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has arrived in Benue State and directed the immediate deployment of additional tactical units to stem the tide of violent attacks that have claimed numerous lives in recent days.

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed the development in a brief statement shared Monday on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

“IGP arrives Benue, orders for additional deployment of tactical teams,” the statement read.

The move comes in response to widespread public outrage over the escalating violence, particularly in Guma Local Government Area, where suspected armed herders carried out a series of attacks. While official reports confirm at least 45 deaths, local leaders insist the toll could surpass 200, with entire families reportedly burned alive and security personnel among the dead.

Social media has been awash with calls for urgent federal intervention, including demands for the declaration of a state of emergency in Benue. Many Nigerians have decried what they perceive as a lack of urgency from the federal government, contrasting it with its swift action in Rivers State earlier in March, where a state of emergency was declared despite no reported deaths.

The recent violence has prompted renewed demands for concrete security action and justice for the affected communities.