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Over 200 people have reportedly been killed in a brutal attack in Benue State, leaving entire communities in ruins.
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Peter Obi says the tragedy exposes Nigeria’s deep leadership failure and calls for an urgent national emergency response.
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He demands decisive federal action, warning that symbolic visits or statements are no longer acceptable.
Former presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has called for the declaration of a national emergency following the gruesome killing of over 200 people in Benue State, describing the carnage as a national disgrace and a betrayal of constitutional duty.
Obi, in a statement on Sunday, condemned the scale of destruction, which he said affected women, children, displaced persons, and even soldiers, accusing government at all levels of watching helplessly while citizens are slaughtered.
“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,” Obi said.
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Leadership Accused of Abandoning Duty
Obi lamented the frequency of mass killings across Nigeria and warned that the country is on the verge of normalising bloodshed. He questioned the government’s repeated failure to live up to its core responsibility — the protection of lives and property.
“We cannot accept the normalisation of mass killing. It is intolerable. The primary duty of any government… is to protect lives and property. When it repeatedly fails, we must ask: What kind of nation are we bequeathing to our children?”
He described the Benue tragedy as one that should shake the conscience of the nation and galvanise a coordinated, immediate response — not another round of excuses and condolence messages.
Obi Demands Decisive Federal Response
Obi insisted that only deliberate and comprehensive action can prevent further destruction. He warned against the use of symbolic gestures such as visits or press statements without tangible military or security intervention.
“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.”
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He called for full deployment of federal security architecture to restore order and restore public trust in the state’s capacity to protect its people.
Obi ended with a passionate appeal, urging the government to stop the bloodshed and prove that it values human life above politics. He insisted that a peaceful, safe Benue is not a privilege but a right every Nigerian should enjoy.
“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,” he said.
