Benue killings: Go beyond routine measures, Center tells security agencies

The Grassroots Center for Rights and Civic Orientation has condemned the latest wave of violence in Benue State, where suspected terrorists reportedly killed over 200 residents during a weekend attack on the Yelewata community.

The group described the attack as another tragic reminder of the government’s failure to protect innocent lives and called for urgent, innovative security reforms to halt the cycle of bloodshed.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Armsfree Ajanaku, the Center described the Benue killings as a mindless slaughter and a painful continuation of unchecked violence in rural Nigeria.

It expressed deep sympathy with the affected families and offered prayers for strength as they mourn the loss of their loved ones.

“The mindless slaughter of people in Yelewata community is one too many. It is unacceptable that life has become so cheap in Nigeria. Now is the time for those charged with securing the nation to put on their thinking caps and end the bloodbath,” Ajanaku said.

The Center criticized the Nigerian government’s security approach as “flat-footed and sluggish,” noting that repeated attacks often follow the same pattern: communities are invaded, defenceless residents are massacred, and the attackers vanish without consequence.

Highlighting the recurring nature of similar attacks in states like Plateau and Edo, the statement warned that the current security framework is reactive rather than preventive, leaving citizens at the mercy of terrorists.

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“It appears that investigation, arrest, and prosecution of perpetrators are not even on the table. These killers commit their evil acts and disappear, while law enforcement simply waits for the next strike,” Ajanaku noted.

Calling for a shift in strategy, the Center urged security agencies to implement preventive and early-warning systems in vulnerable communities, including improved border surveillance and technology-driven intelligence gathering.

It also emphasised the urgent need to decentralize Nigeria’s security structure, arguing that rural areas are left dangerously exposed under the current centralized system.

While acknowledging recent government initiatives like the creation of forest guards, the organization said such efforts must be accelerated to make a real difference in the lives of farming communities devastated by violence.

“The Nigerian people are tired of endless mourning and mass burials. The scale and frequency of these attacks demand decisive, out-of-the-box thinking,” the statement noted.

The Center also reminded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of his 2023 campaign promise to prioritize security. Quoting from his manifesto, it urged the president to act on his vow to “mobilize all national security, military, and law enforcement assets” to protect Nigerians and restore peace.

“The people of Benue and other terrorized states have not felt the effects of these promises. Now is the time for the President to push his team to do the needful,” the statement added.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE