Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said the continued senseless killings that have gripped parts of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi states in recent times “is a failure of leadership and a gaping wound in the soul of our nation.”
In recent months, a wave of violence has devastated communities across Taraba, Benue, and Kogi, claiming countless lives and wiping out families. Among the victims are children, women, and even men of faith, casualties of a prolonged crisis that shows no sign of abating.
According to Obi, 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. These are not mere statistics, they are our fellow Nigerians. Each life lost is a tragedy that must not be ignored,” he said.
Obi reminded the government that its primary duty is the protection of life and property, adding that “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?”
While commiserating with the people of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi, Obi called for urgent action, not rhetoric, saying, “We need justice, not excuses. We as leaders must value human life and will defend it with everything we have.”
“Nigeria can not continue like this. This is not the Nigeria we deserve. We must end this bloodshed. We must reclaim our humanity,” he said.
