…Cancels Kaduna trip to assess humanitarian crisis, hold stakeholder town hall
● GMTNewsng Staff Reporter
Amid growing public outrage and mounting pressure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally bowed to calls to personally intervene in the worsening humanitarian and security crisis in Benue State. The presidency confirmed on Sunday that Tinubu has rescheduled his previously announced official visit to Kaduna State in favour of an emergency trip to Benue on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
The decision marks a significant shift in the President’s itinerary, as critics and civil society groups had for weeks condemned what they described as “Presidential silence” in the face of relentless killings and displacement of thousands across Benue communities.
According to a statement signed by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President’s visit is “part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state.”
While Tinubu had earlier condemned the violence in Benue and issued condolence messages to bereaved families, his physical absence had drawn severe criticism from many quarters, especially as similar crises in other parts of the country have received more immediate presidential attention.
During the visit, the President is expected to hold a town hall meeting with traditional rulers, religious leaders, political figures, youth groups, and other key stakeholders. Sources close to the Presidency say the discussions will aim to map out “lasting solutions to the hostilities that have claimed numerous lives and destroyed livelihoods.”
In preparation for the visit, Tinubu has already dispatched high-ranking government officials including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser, heads of key intelligence agencies, as well as the Chairmen of the Senate and House Defence Committees to Benue State.
A senior source in Makurdi, speaking under anonymity, told GMTNewsng: “We welcome this visit, but it has taken far too long. People are dying, villages are razed, and families are still trapped in IDP camps. The people of Benue want more than talk – they want action.”
President Tinubu had been initially scheduled to visit Kaduna State on Wednesday to commission several state government projects. That visit has now been postponed to Thursday, June 19, a move that underscores the urgency of the Benue situation.
As Tinubu prepares for the visit, many in Benue are hoping it won’t just be another photo-op but a turning point in federal response to the unrelenting violence in the Middle Belt state.
GMTNewsng will bring updates on the President’s visit to Benue.
