In a move underscoring the urgency of the security crisis in parts of Benue State, President Bola Tinubu has rescheduled his planned official visit to Kaduna and will now visit Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Wednesday.

The President’s decision to prioritise Benue follows a fresh wave of violent attacks in rural communities that have led to the loss of lives, destruction of property, and heightened tension in the region.

His visit, according to the Presidency, is part of ongoing efforts to foster peace, promote reconciliation, and find lasting solutions to the protracted conflict.

While in Benue, President Tinubu is expected to engage directly with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and religious leaders, civil society representatives, community heads, and youth groups, during a special town hall meeting aimed at building consensus on the way forward.

A high-powered delegation, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; heads of intelligence and security agencies; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Defence, has already been dispatched to the state ahead of the President’s arrival.

The Presidency stated that the visit would provide President Tinubu with an opportunity to conduct a firsthand assessment of the humanitarian and security situation on the ground, particularly in the affected local government areas, where thousands of residents have been displaced.

In a statement issued over the weekend, President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to ending bloodshed and restoring lasting peace in Benue and across Nigeria’s troubled regions.

He condemned the persistent cycle of violence in the state and called on all leaders and citizens to rise above sectarian and communal divisions. “We must replace hate with hope, division with dialogue, and vengeance with vision. The lives of our people must take precedence over every other consideration,” the statement read.

The President also extended his deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured in recent attacks, assuring victims and displaced communities that his government would not abandon them in their time of grief.

Meanwhile, the President’s visit to Kaduna State, earlier scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, has now been postponed to Thursday, June 19, 2025.

While in Kaduna, Tinubu is expected to commission key state government projects and engage with stakeholders on matters of security, investment, and development.

The rescheduling underscores the President’s hands-on approach to national security and his readiness to recalibrate official engagements in response to pressing realities on the ground.

However, details on the President’s Benue itinerary, including locations he will visit and the structure of the stakeholder engagement sessions, were not made available by the Presidency at press time.