The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has called for an immediate end to violence against communities in Benue State, warning that in what ever form “We cannot accept the normalisation of mass killing”.
The call is coming after a recent attack which resulted to loss of hundreds of lives, mostly women and children and the elderly.
The call was also necessitated by frequency of the attacks which has spiraled into almost a daily occurrence.
Obi, a former Anambra state governor while reacting to the development via a post on his x handle on Sunday accused both the state and federal government of leadership failure.
He said the mere visits and speeches by the authorities without the practical commitment to end the killings mean that the government has failed in its primary duty of protecting the lives of its citizens.
Obi who described the killings as a “stain on our collective conscience” 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.”
