Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the ongoing violence in Benue State, calling it a ‘brutal and heart-wrenching reality’ that demands urgent action from both federal and state authorities.
In a statement on Monday titled ‘Enough is Enough: Benue Cannot Bleed in Silence’, Atiku said the people of Benue have suffered years of bloodshed, mass displacement, and government inaction.
“For years, families have buried their loved ones in silence, villages have been ravaged, and communities shattered,” he said, accusing those in power of watching from a distance and offering “nothing but hollow assurances.”
The former presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, criticised the government’s response to peaceful protests by affected communities, saying the state had responded to cries for help with ‘tear gas, brutality, and disdain.’
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“To unleash force on grieving, defenceless citizens is not governance, it is cruelty. It is a betrayal of the sacred duty of leadership,” Atiku stated.
He called on leaders at all levels to stop offering condolences and start providing lasting solutions.
“Work with security agencies, deploy resources, and craft a security architecture that prioritises human lives over political optics,” he urged.
Atiku also linked the crisis in Benue to wider insecurity across the country, citing similar attacks in Plateau, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Taraba states.
He encouraged Nigerians to raise their voices and demand accountability.
“History will not be kind to those who chose power over people. The time to act is now,” he said.
