Mathew Amaechi
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has strongly condemned the recent horrific killings in Benue State, attributing the widespread violence, suspected to be perpetrated by armed herdsmen, to a profound failure of leadership across Nigeria.
In a heartfelt statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Obi expressed his deep sorrow over the brutal attacks that claimed the lives of women, children, soldiers, and displaced persons. He emphasized the urgent need for a robust national response to what he described as the alarming normalization of mass killings in the country.
“My heart is heavy as I learn of yet another horrific series of killings in Benue of women, children, soldiers, and displaced persons, all senselessly slain,” Obi wrote. He lamented that “This tragedy has become too common in our national life, and the Benue situation now calls for a national emergency.”
The former Anambra State governor asserted that the scale of the Benue tragedy transcends isolated acts of violence, pointing instead to a systemic breakdown in governance. “Over 200 lives have reportedly been extinguished in a single onslaught, homes burnt, families shattered, communities left in ruin. This is not merely violence. It is a failure of leadership, a stain on our collective conscience,” Obi stated unequivocally.
Obi criticized the persistent inability of governments at all levels – federal, state, and local – to fulfill their fundamental duty of safeguarding lives and property. He stressed that each life lost represents a grievous wound to the nation. “Every life lost is a Nigerian life, each one precious, each one irreplaceable. We cannot accept the normalisation of mass killing. It is intolerable.”
He continued, “The primary duty of any government… is to protect lives and property. When it repeatedly fails, we must ask: What kind of nation are we bequeathing to our children?”
Offering solidarity to the grieving communities in Benue, Obi assured them that their suffering would not be in vain. “To the people of Benue, I say: your pain is our pain. The blood of your loved ones cries out for justice. The survival of our people must not be negotiable; it must be urgent, deliberate, and comprehensive action.”
Obi urged authorities to move beyond mere rhetoric and implement concrete, decisive measures to protect vulnerable communities. “To all relevant authorities, I say that the time has come to move beyond symbolic gestures to decisive deployment. Let your actions speak louder than visits or statements. A safe, secure Benue is not too much to ask, it is our moral duty, our national duty.”
Concluding his statement, Obi stated that the current state of insecurity is a stark contrast to the Nigeria that citizens deserve and aspire to inhabit. “This is not the Nigeria we deserve, nor the Nigeria we aspire to. We must end this bloodshed. We must reclaim our humanity.”
Reports say that armed herders invaded Yelwata and Daudu towns in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State between Friday night and Saturday morning, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people, including security operatives. A local leader, Matthew Mnyan, reportedly claimed the death toll could be as high as 200, including five security personnel.