•Peter Obi
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the recent surge in killings across parts of northern Nigeria, describing the bloodshed as a national tragedy, a “failure of leadership” undeserving for Nigerians.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) today, the former Anambra State governor expressed heartbreak over the persistent bloodshed in Taraba, Benue, and Kogi states, calling for urgent action to end the bloodletting.
Obi said, “The news of the continued senseless killings that have gripped parts of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi States in recent times is heartbreaking. Nigeria cannot continue like this.
“This is not the Nigeria we deserve. We must end this bloodshed. We must reclaim our humanity. A new Nigeria is possible. What we are witnessing is not merely violence. It is a failure of leadership and a gaping wound in the soul of our nation.
The news of the continued senseless killings that have gripped parts of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi States in recent times is heartbreaking. What we are witnessing is not merely violence. It is a failure of leadership and a gaping wound in the soul of our nation.
“I mourn with the good people of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi. I share their grief, and I feel their pain. But I also raise my voice because silence in the face of such horror is complicity. We need urgent action, not rhetoric. We need justice, not excuses.”
The politician further decried the destruction of lives and communities, especially the killing of vulnerable persons including children, women, and men of faith, describing the situation as a prolonged crisis that “shows no sign of abating.”
“The bloodshed is staggering, yet the response remains weak and muted. As homes are destroyed and communities torn apart, we risk normalising the unacceptable: mass killings, displacement, and the collapse of law and order,” he said.
“These are not mere statistics; they are our fellow Nigerians. Each life lost is a tragedy that must not be ignored.”
Obi reaffirmed that the protection of lives and property is the primary duty of any national government, warning that the continued failure to address this crisis poses serious questions about the future of Nigeria.
“When this duty is repeatedly ignored, when innocent citizens are butchered and nothing changes, we must ask ourselves: What kind of nation are we building? What future are we promising our children?”
Incessant Killings
Recent weeks have witnessed a troubling escalation in violent attacks across the three states, resulting in scores of deaths, mass displacements, and growing calls for intervention.
In Benue State, at least 42 people were killed over the weekend in coordinated attacks on Tyolaha, Tse-Ubiam, Ahume, and Aondona villages.
Victims included women, children, and a critically injured Catholic priest. Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the attacks as a “heinous act” and a reminder of the state’s fragile security.
In Kogi State, tension escalated in Okoloke community, in the Yagba West Local Government Area as gunmen suspected to be bandits killed three individuals on Saturday while maintaining a tight grip on their abducted victim, a traditional ruler. They reportedly demanded a N12 million ransom to release the monarch.
In Taraba State, renewed clashes in between Bandawa and Fulani communities led to at least 40 deaths in Munga Lelau, Karim Lamido Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses reported that attackers on motorcycles opened fire and set houses ablaze. Victims were buried in mass graves, and residents expressed concerns about alleged complicity by security forces.
