“Tinubu Asking Us to Reconcile with Killers Means He Knows Them” – Gbillah

Former House of Representatives member from Benue State, Mark Gbillah, has raised strong concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s recent call for reconciliation in the wake of continued killings in the state. Speaking on Arise Television’s *Morning Show* on Monday, Gbillah questioned the logic behind the president’s appeal, arguing that urging victims to reconcile with their attackers implies the federal government knows who the killers are.

The controversy follows a directive by President Tinubu, disclosed in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, asking Governor Hyacinth Alia to convene reconciliation meetings between affected communities and suspected herders. The governor echoed the president’s sentiment during an interview on Channels Television, describing the ongoing violence as possible reprisal attacks by armed herdsmen crossing into Benue from neighbouring Nasarawa State.

Gbillah strongly rejected this characterization, insisting that what is happening in Benue is not retaliatory but rather a sustained and deliberate assault on communities. He accused the president of being misinformed and criticized what he described as a failure of leadership and federal response.

“Mr. President, there’s a war against people in a part of your country,” Gbillah said. “If you ask for reconciliation meetings, it means you know who the attackers are. It suggests that the governor also knows them and is expected to bring them to the table. That’s deeply troubling and disingenuous.”

Gbillah also condemned the federal government’s security priorities, recounting how peaceful protesters in the state were met with heavy security presence and aerial surveillance, while the same level of response was not deployed to repel attacks in places like Gwer West. He said the people of Benue have shown restraint but can no longer remain silent after two years of unrelenting violence and what he described as inadequate action by both state and federal authorities.

He warned against the rise of sycophancy in the country and urged the president to seek out honest voices to understand the true scale and nature of the crisis. Reiterating that there is no evidence to support the claim of reprisal attacks, Gbillah described the violence as premeditated and unprovoked, asserting that Benue communities are under siege and need protection, not platitudes.