By Bayo Wahab

Following the killings of hundreds of Benue residents by armed herders, President Bola Tinubu has assured the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, of his readiness to work with him to achieve a lasting peace.

Tinubu visited Benue on Wednesday to meet with stakeholders and sympathise with the victims of the killings and the state government.

While addressing the stakeholders, which included former governors, traditional rulers, party members, and political figures in the state, President Tinubu appealed for unity in the state.

He advised Governor Alia to work with his predecessors to resolve the lingering conflicts between herders and farmers in Benue.

“We have to find solutions to this. What’s the cause of the conflict? I heard it’s about land-grabbing, but if we learn how to share and how to accommodate, we have enough land to feed, to raise our children to cultivate happiness and prosperity. We must do it,” Tinubu said.

“Take a look at our national anthem again, a key item in that (says) we want to hand over to the next generation, our children yet unborn, a banner without stain. We must work towards that and I am ready to work with you on that.”

The president maintained that if the governor worked with all stakeholders in the state, he could turn the repeated tragedies in the state to economic prosperity.