Peter Obi expresses concerns over escalating Benue killings, seeks decisive action

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has raised concerns over the escalation of loss of lives in Benue, calling on the Federal Government to take decisive actions to end the tragedies.

He noted that mere visits to locations and speeches by the authorities without the practical commitment to end the killings by armed herders would mean that the government had failed in its primary duty of protecting the lives of its citizens.

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Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, observed that the horrific attacks in Benue without any clear response by the authorities would seem that Nigeria had begun to accept “mass killings” as a normal way of life.

Taking to his X handle on Sunday, Obi expressed his grief in a series of tweets.

He wrote, “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.

“This tragedy has become too common in our national life, and the Benue situation now calls for a national emergency.

“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. Every life lost is a Nigerian life, each one precious, each one irreplaceable.

“We cannot accept the normalisation of mass killing. It is intolerable. The primary duty of any government, federal, state, or local is to protect lives and property. When it repeatedly fails, we must ask: What kind of nation are we bequeathing to our children?

“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.

“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. The time has come for the government to prove its commitment to protecting citizens, which is the primary duty of any government.

“A safe, secure Benue is not too much to ask, it is our moral duty, our national duty. This is not the Nigeria we deserve, nor the Nigeria we aspire to. We must end this bloodshed. We must reclaim our humanity.”