Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has vehemently condemned the recent horrific wave of killings in Benue State, describing the massacre of women, children, soldiers, and displaced persons as a profound national tragedy that necessitates immediate and urgent intervention. In a statement shared via his X handle on Sunday, Obi expressed deep sorrow and dismay over the reported extinguishing of over 200 lives in a single onslaught, lamenting the extensive destruction of homes, the shattering of families, and the ruin of entire communities.

“My heart is heavy as I learn of yet another horrific series of killings in Benue,” Obi wrote, underscoring the tragic frequency of such events in Nigeria. He emphasized that “This tragedy has become too common in our national life, and the Benue situation now calls for a national emergency.” Obi was critical of what he termed a recurring failure of leadership, asserting that the Nigerian government at all levels bears a fundamental constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of its citizens. He passionately declared, “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.” He adamantly stated, “We cannot accept the normalisation of mass killing. It is intolerable.”

Obi further stressed that the primary duty of any government, whether federal, state, or local, is to ensure the safety and security of its populace. He questioned, “When it repeatedly fails, we must ask: What kind of nation are we bequeathing to our children?” He also conveyed a powerful message of solidarity to the suffering people of Benue, assuring them that their pain is widely shared across Nigeria. “To the people of Benue, I say: your pain is our pain. The blood of your loved ones cries out for justice,” he stated, adding that “The survival of our people must not be negotiable; it must be urgent, deliberate, and comprehensive action.”

He urged relevant authorities to transcend symbolic gestures and instead undertake concrete, decisive actions and deployment to effectively end the bloodshed and restore enduring peace and security in the region. Obi called upon the government to unequivocally prove its commitment to protecting its citizens, reiterating that this is the paramount duty of any administration. “A safe, secure Benue is not too much to ask; it is our moral duty, our national duty,” Obi concluded. “This is not the Nigeria we deserve, nor the Nigeria we aspire to. We must end this bloodshed. We must reclaim our humanity.” The ongoing killings in Benue have ignited widespread outrage across the country, leading to widespread calls for enhanced security measures and greater accountability from government officials.