The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has condemned the ongoing violence and killings in Taraba, Benue, and Kogi States, describing the situation as a heartbreaking failure of leadership.
In a statement posted on his X page on Wednesday, Obi lamented the wave of attacks that has claimed countless lives in recent months, displacing families and destroying entire communities across the affected states.
He emphasised that the victims include women, children, and religious leaders, stressing that the scale of the crisis reflects not just insecurity but a collapse of governance.
“What we are witnessing is not merely violence. It is a failure of leadership and a gaping wound in the soul of our nation,” Obi said.
He criticised what he called the muted and inadequate response of the federal government to the bloodshed, warning that the nation risks normalising mass killings and lawlessness if decisive action is not taken.
“These are not mere statistics, they are our fellow Nigerians. Each life lost is a tragedy that must not be ignored,” he stated.
Obi reiterated his long-held position that the protection of lives and property is the foremost responsibility of any government.
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He questioned the direction in which Nigeria is headed, given the continued insecurity and the apparent inaction of authorities.
“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?” he queried.
Expressing solidarity with the victims, Obi said he mourns with the people of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi, sharing in their grief and pain.
He called on fellow leaders to act decisively and uphold the sanctity of human life.
“We need urgent action, not rhetoric. We need justice, not excuses,” he urged.
Obi insisted that Nigeria cannot continue on its current path, stressing the need to restore the nation’s humanity and end the bloodshed.
