Over 24 hours after killer herders raided Yelewata in Benue State killing hundreds, President Bola Tinubu has blamed political leaders for “fuelling crisis” in the state, while charging Governor Hyacinth Alia to provide leadership.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday evening, Mr Tinubu described “the killings and bloodletting as inhuman and anti-progress, calling on political leaders and community leaders in conflict areas to stop fuelling the crisis through unguarded utterances and statements that could further inflame tensions.”

While ordering security agencies to go after perpetrators of Benue killings, Mr Tinubu said “Political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings.

He added “This is the time for Governor Alia to act as a statesman and immediately lead the process of dialogue and reconciliation that will bring peace to Benue.”

Mr Tinubu’s statement comes over 24 hours after gunmen raided Yelewata in Benue, killing hundreds of people.

Pope Leo XIV, in his Sunday mass, condemned the killings, describing it as a “terrible massacre,” while praying for the families of those killed.

Condemning the attack on Benue communities, Amnesty International in a statement on Saturday, said “The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday 14 June 2025, shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working.” 

It added, “The Nigerian authorities’ failure to stem the violence is costing people’s lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action many more lives may be lost.”

Similarly, opposition politician, Peter Obi of Labour Party, has blamed Benue killings on Mr Tinubu’s failure.

“Over 200 lives have reportedly been extinguished in a single onslaught, homes burnt, families shattered, communities left in ruin. This is not merely violence. It is a failure of leadership, a stain on our collective conscience. Every life lost is a Nigerian life, each one precious, each one irreplaceable,” Mr Obi said. 

He added, “We cannot accept the normalisation of mass killing. It is intolerable. The primary duty of any government, federal, state, or local is to protect lives and property. When it repeatedly fails, we must ask: What kind of nation are we bequeathing to our children?”