Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has expressed anguish over the reported killings of over 200 citizens in Benue at the weekend, declaring that the massive loss of innocent lives cannot be accepted as normal.
In a statement on his X handle, Obi said the sustained attack on Benue people cannot be taken as mere violence but a clear indication of leadership failure and a massive stain on the collective conscience of all Nigerians.
He called on the authorities to urgently and deliberately take action to halt the bloodshed which he said is intolerable. The state reads:
“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 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”.