Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday made a bold humanitarian gesture with a ₦1 billion donation to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State, even as Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia renewed calls for State Police and regional anti-open grazing legislation to combat the worsening security situation in the state.
Mrs. Tinubu, who was in Benue to sympathize with victims of herdsmen attacks and assess the growing humanitarian crisis, made the donation through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). The funds are intended to support the rebuilding and resettlement of communities ravaged by violent invasions from armed herders.
Governor Alia, receiving the First Lady in Makurdi, expressed deep appreciation for the visit and donation, describing it as both “impactful and healing.” He revealed that over 1.5 million persons remain displaced across the state, with new camps recently established in Makurdi and Naka following fresh waves of attacks.
“The people of Benue State are sincerely grateful,” Alia said. “Your visit is not just symbolic; it brings hope and healing to those in despair.”
In a firm address, the Governor reiterated his longstanding demand for the establishment of State Police, arguing that the current centralized security structure has failed to protect vulnerable communities from recurrent attacks.
“The current security architecture has not proven sufficient in curbing the incessant attacks on our communities,” Alia stated. “It is time for Nigeria to embrace State Police as a practical and necessary step towards securing lives, property, and peace across the nation.”
He further called on the First Lady to champion the domestication of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law across the North Central region. According to him, the absence of a harmonized legal framework allows criminal elements to exploit state borders and evade accountability.
“The time for regional consensus on anti-open grazing laws is now. We cannot continue to suffer because of legal loopholes that embolden attackers,” he warned.
The visit and donation by Senator Tinubu have been widely praised as a compassionate response to a prolonged humanitarian emergency, even as calls for systemic reform in Nigeria’s security and agricultural policies grow louder.
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