THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other eminent Nigerians have condemned the recent killings in Benue State that left more than 200 people dead.
In a press statement signed by its president, Daniel Okoh, an Archbishop, on Monday, June 16, CAN described the killings as senseless, saying they caused immense pain to families, shattered communities, and deepened the insecurity threatening the nation.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria strongly condemns the horrific wave of violence that recently swept through Benue State, resulting in the tragic loss of over 200 lives in a series of coordinated attacks.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and pray for the peaceful repose of the departed souls,” CAN said.
The ICIR reported on Saturday, June 14, that fresh attacks on two local government areas of the state resulted in the death of 26 persons.
The victims were killed in overnight attacks on communities in the Makurdi and Katsina-Ala local government areas.
Hours later, about 200 people were reportedly killed again in the state.
These attacks came shortly after top military leaders, including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Olufemi Oluyede, visited the state and promised to restore peace.
Expressing concern over the recurring violence in the state, CAN urged the Federal Government to take decisive action, including declaring a state of emergency in the worst-hit communities.
“CAN calls on the Federal Government to act with urgency and resolve. We demand the immediate deployment of reinforced security personnel to protect vulnerable communities and, if necessary, the declaration of a state of emergency in the most affected areas,” the group said.
The Christian body also demanded a transparent investigation to identify and hold those responsible for the massacre accountable, stressing the urgent need for justice and international support to break the “grip of impunity” driving the crisis.
Similarly, Atiku Abubakar urged the Federal Government and political leaders to take swift and urgent action to address the violence and bloodshed in the state.
Abubakar decried what he described as the continued silence and indifference of authorities in the face of the “brutal and heart-wrenching reality” in Benue and other parts of the country affected by violent attacks in a statement on his X handle on Monday.
“The bloodshed in Benue State has reached a devastating crescendo — a brutal and heart-wrenching reality that can no longer be ignored. For years, families have buried their loved ones in silence, villages have been ravaged, and communities shattered, while those in power watch from a distance, offering nothing but hollow assurances,” he said.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election condemned the state’s response to public protests over the killings, stating that the use of force against demonstrators was a betrayal of true leadership.
“When citizens take to the streets to protest this injustice, they are not inciting rebellion; they are crying for help. To unleash force on grieving, defenceless citizens is not governance, it is cruelty,” he added.
The ICIR reported that youth and other residents protested against the killings in the state on Sunday, June 15.
Abubakar challenged leaders at all levels to place the value of human life above politics, warning that history would harshly judge those who “chose power over people.”
“This is a call to conscience to every leader at both the federal and state levels: stop turning a blind eye while Benue drowns in blood. Stop offering condolences and start offering solutions,” he said.
Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi, also expressed concern over President Bola Tinubu’s failure to visit Benue and Niger states that have recorded tragedies in the past weeks, contrasting the president’s action with the swift responses of leaders in countries like India and South Africa during similar crises.
“Recently, we witnessed severe flooding in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives, with many still missing. Yet, not even a single presidential visit, this, in a nation where the scene of the tragedy is less than an hour away by helicopter.
“Just days ago, over 200 Nigerians, innocent men, women, children, and even soldiers, were massacred in Benue State. Again, no presidential visit. No physical presence at the scenes of pain. No genuine national mourning. No leadership face to comfort the grieving or give hope to the people.
“Yet, we have seen what true leadership looks like elsewhere: In India, after a plane crash killed nearly 200 people, the Prime Minister was physically at the scene within hours.
“In South Africa, when floods claimed 78 lives, the president went personally to the affected communities, stood with them, and took responsibility”, Obi said.
Also, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) condemned the carnage in Benue, in which a young pharmacist, Matthew Lormba, was killed.
The NARD President, Tope Osundara, said in a statement on Monday that the crisis was taking a huge toll on an already strained and fragile healthcare system in the state.
“The killing of promising young pharmacist Matthew Lormba is a stark reminder that health workers are now an endangered species in the state and across Nigeria.
“The violent attack has increased threats to the safety of doctors, with several complaints about the security of our members. The increasing anxiety is negatively impacting their willingness to work in certain areas.
“The mounting death toll is a potential for humanitarian crisis and epidemics, which will overwhelm the ability of health workers to cope. Unfortunately, it appears that the government lacks the necessary resources to protect life and property,” NARD said.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.