Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has arrived in Benue State and ordered the immediate deployment of additional tactical units in response to a series of deadly attacks that have claimed numerous lives.
The Nigeria Police Force confirmed the development in a brief statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
“IGP arrives Benue, orders for additional deployment of tactical teams,” the statement said.
The deployment comes amid mounting public outrage and calls on social media for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Benue, following a two-day killing spree by suspected herders.
According to reports, at least 45 people were confirmed dead in Guma Local Government Area, though local leaders estimate the toll could exceed 200, with reports of entire families burned alive and security officers among the victims.
Nigerians have widely criticised the federal silence over the Benue killings, contrasting it with the government’s swift response to the political unrest in Rivers State in March, which saw the declaration of a state of emergency without any reported deaths.