Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has condemned the latest attacks and killings in Benue State.
Hundreds were reportedly killed by gunmen a two days ago in Yelewata village, an area known for conflicts between farmers and herders in Benue State.
Obi, who reacted to the killing via his X (formerly Twitter) account, described the killings as “failure of leadership,” noting that time has come for government to take decisive action to stop the menace.
“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 their 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. A safe Nigeria is POssible,” Obi wrote.
