On June 14, 2025, the world’s attention was fixed on the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. On that single day, Iranian missiles reportedly killed eight Israelis, prompting Israel to vow to burn down Iran. In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes killed seventy-eight Iranians, with Tehran promising bitter pain in return. These were acts of open warfare between sovereign states, and while tragic, they drew swift and predictable responses. World leaders condemned the attacks, media outlets provided real-time coverage, and both countries issued statements within hours.
On the same day, in Nigeria, two hundred citizens were killed in Benue State. The perpetrators were not foreign invaders, and the victims were not soldiers in a declared war. These were civilians — children, women, and men — murdered in their homes and villages by yet-to-be-named attackers. But unlike the events in the Middle East, there was no swift national address from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There was no emergency security briefing, no televised promise of justice. Only silence.
The killings in Benue are not isolated incidents. For over a decade, the state has been plagued by violence, largely attributed to herdsmen-farmer clashes, armed bandits, and unidentified militias. Communities have been wiped out overnight, farmland destroyed, and entire local government areas rendered uninhabitable. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced and now live in poorly funded internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. In 2023 alone, over 500 deaths were recorded from similar attacks across the state. Yet federal action has remained slow and inconsistent.
The current governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, was elected with great optimism. As a Catholic priest, many believed he would bring a fresh moral direction to governance. But since assuming office, Governor Alia has appeared more concerned with affirming his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu than speaking forcefully about the continued bloodshed in his state. His public statements have focused more on political alignment than on demanding federal protection for his people. At a time when leadership is most needed, he has opted for caution, a stance that serves party interests rather than the urgent needs of Benue residents.
Even more troubling is the contrast in the federal government’s response to events in other parts of the country. When political tension escalated in Rivers State over disputes involving former Governor Nyesom Wike and the current administration, President Tinubu acted promptly. A State of Emergency was threatened, and federal machinery quickly swung into action. The motive was clear — Rivers is economically vital to Nigeria due to its oil reserves. But when similar or worse violence occurs in Benue, where lives are lost in greater numbers, the presidency remains quiet. This disparity in response raises serious questions about the value placed on lives in different parts of the country.
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If two hundred people were killed in Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt in one day, the entire nation would be on edge. But in Benue, it has become routine to bury mass casualties without public outrage from the nation’s highest office. This is a dangerous normalization of mass violence. Nigeria cannot continue to function as a two-tier country where security and urgency are reserved only for economically strategic states while others are left to suffer in silence.
The federal government must immediately declare a State of Emergency in Benue State. The scale and frequency of attacks justify this. A specialized joint military and intelligence task force should be deployed to the region with a clear mandate to restore order, protect civilians, and track down those responsible for the killings. It is no longer enough to attribute these attacks to “unknown gunmen.” Concrete action, not vague labels, is required.
Beyond military intervention, the federal and state governments must prioritize rebuilding and resettling displaced communities. IDP camps are not long-term solutions. Communities must be empowered to return home safely, and survivors must be compensated. Moreover, there must be a genuine effort to address the root causes of the conflict — land disputes, weak policing, proliferation of arms, and the growing presence of organized crime in rural areas.
Governor Alia must rise to the occasion or acknowledge his limitations. His spiritual background is meaningless if he cannot translate it into firm, moral leadership. The people of Benue did not elect him to sing party praises. They elected him to defend them, speak for them, and act in their interest. If he cannot meet this obligation, he must make way for someone who will.
President Tinubu must remember that his legitimacy does not come from oil fields or party loyalty alone. It comes from the Constitution and the people who voted — and those who did not vote — but whose safety he is sworn to guarantee. If the lives of citizens in Benue can be taken with such regularity while the presidency looks away, then the very foundation of Nigeria’s national unity is in danger.
Benue is bleeding, and the country is watching. More importantly, the world is watching. If nothing is done, the blood of the innocent will stain not just the land, but the conscience of those who swore to protect it.
