Atiku slams Tinubu, Alia over inaction on Benue killings

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a rebuke to President Bola Tinubu and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, urging them to end what he describes as a dangerous silence over the spate of killings in Benue State.

This comes as over 200 people were reportedly killed in the past two days in a wave of brutal attacks on communities across the state.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday titled “Enough is Enough: Benue Cannot Bleed in Silence”, Atiku decried what he called a “devastating crescendo” of bloodshed in Benue, lamenting that the government is failing to protect its people.

He wrote, “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.”

“How much more must the people of Benue endure before their humanity is acknowledged? Their demand is simple: to live in peace, to sleep without fear, to farm without being slaughtered, and to raise their children without the constant shadow of violence.”

Atiku also condemned the use of force against protesters in Makurdi on Sunday, where police reportedly fired tear gas to disperse crowds demonstrating against the killings.

“When citizens take to the streets to protest this injustice, they are not inciting rebellion; they are crying for help. They are demanding what every Nigerian is constitutionally entitled to: the right to life and the protection of that life by the state. But what do they receive in return? Tear gas. Brutality. Disdain. It is pouring hot oil on an open wound.”

“To unleash force on grieving, defenseless citizens is not governance, it is cruelty. It is a betrayal of the sacred duty of leadership. What kind of government meets a cry for safety with the barrel of a gun and a canister of gas?” he added.

The former vice president warned that the continued lack of urgency and silence from leadership is indicative of a “frightening normalisation of violence” against citizens.

He called on both federal and state leaders to act decisively: “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. Work with security agencies, deploy resources, and craft a security architecture that prioritises human lives over political optics.”

Drawing attention to other states facing similar security crises, Atiku said, “Benue is not alone. From Plateau to Zamfara, Kaduna to Taraba, the cries are the same. Nigerians are bleeding and begging to be heard.”

He concluded by rallying citizens to speak out: “Raise your voices. Demand accountability. Demand justice. Demand a government that sees you, hears you, and protects you. History will not be kind to those who chose power over people. The time to act is now.”