Open Letter To President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: On the Recent Presidential Directive Regarding the Benue Crisis -By Leonard Karshima Shilgba

His Excellency,
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
State House, Abuja.

Your Excellency,

I write to you as a concerned Nigerian and stakeholder in the fate of Benue State, deeply moved by your June 15, 2025 directive to security chiefs and your appeal to the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to urgently convene reconciliation meetings toward resolving the ongoing bloodshed in the state. Your strong words describing the killings as “inhuman and anti-progress” resonate with the pain and anguish of our people.

However, to ensure that this presidential intervention leads to meaningful and lasting change, I respectfully pose the following questions for your consideration and the attention of relevant authorities:

1. Who Are the “Warring Parties”?

You stated that Governor Alia should lead dialogue among the “warring parties.” Has the Federal Government formally identified these parties? Are they communal factions, armed herdsmen, terrorist cells, self-defense groups, political opponents, or external militias? Naming them clearly would improve public understanding and accountability.

2. What Was the “Earlier Directive” to Security Chiefs?

You mentioned renewing an earlier directive to security chiefs. When was this initial directive issued? What were its specific instructions, and why did it fail to prevent continued killings until now?

3. What is the Nature of the Conflict, According to Federal Intelligence?

Has your government officially classified this conflict as communal, terror-related, ethnic cleansing, or a mix of factors? Nigerians and the international community need to know what intelligence the government is working with.

4. What Timeline and Measurable Outcomes Are Expected?

With the deployment of intelligence, police, and military assets to Benue State, what specific objectives, timelines, and benchmarks should the citizens expect from this renewed operation?

5. Will Victims and Displaced Persons Receive Immediate Support?

Thousands have been displaced, and many now live in camps or host communities with no federal support. Is there a plan for food relief, psychosocial care, medical aid, and permanent resettlement?

6. Will the Federal Government Fund or Support the Reconciliation Process?

Beyond tasking the Governor with reconciliation, will your government provide resources, neutral facilitators, or mediation experts to support the process? Dialogue without structure may become another talking shop.

7. What About Accountability for Past Failures?

Have any local or national security officials been held accountable for dereliction of duty or complicity in these atrocities? The absence of consequences emboldens impunity.

8. What Concrete Action is Being Taken Against Identified Perpetrators?

You directed the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators on “all sides.” Have any suspects been apprehended? Can the names or groups currently under investigation be published?

9. Will Political and Community Inciters Be Investigated?

You warned political and community leaders to avoid inflammatory rhetoric. Are those who have made inciting statements or sponsored provocations being monitored or investigated?

Your Excellency, the people of Benue do not need mere sympathy. We need justice, transparency, and action. Your renewed directive could mark a turning point — or it could fade like many before it, unless followed by deliberate and sustained implementation. I urge you to back these words with bold action. Let this be remembered as the moment the killings stopped — not because the cries grew too loud to ignore, but because justice finally found its voice.

May wisdom guide your leadership, and may peace return to Benue and every troubled part of Nigeria.

Respectfully,

Prof. Leonard Karshima Shilgba

A concerned citizen and advocate for peace in Benue State