Ejiofor condemns Benue killings days after Tinubu’s visit, calling the violence a failure of leadership and a tragic sign of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity
Ejiofor condemns Benue killings barely 48 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited the state, describing the massacre in Wannune as a tragic indictment of Nigeria’s failing security architecture and the government’s moral silence in the face of growing violence.
Also read: Benue Crisis Shows Nigerians Want Justice Before Peace
Prominent human rights lawyer and activist, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has expressed deep anguish over the unrelenting spate of violent attacks across Nigeria—particularly in the North Central—lamenting that the crisis continues despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent visits to affected regions.
His emotional outburst followed another deadly strike on Wannune community in Benue State’s Tarka Local Government Area over the weekend.
The attack, believed to have been carried out by suspected armed herdsmen, left multiple people dead and many homes razed—only two days after the President toured the area.
Ejiofor took to his X (formerly Twitter) page under the heading, “Saturday Musing: Who Owns Nigeria—The People or Their Predators?” to condemn the renewed bloodshed.
He described the killings as a shameful reflection of government failure, stating, “It is a slap on the presidency that just after the president promised peace and security in the North Central, the bloodshed resumed with no resistance from state actors.”
He added that Tinubu’s assurances have yet to translate into real security, as violence continues unchecked in communities across Benue.
“From Guma to Agatu, Makurdi to Logo, and now Tarka—Benue bleeds daily. Yet, those in power remain unmoved by the bloodshed, the wailing, and the raging fires,” he lamented.
It is a slap on the presidency that just after the president promised peace and security in the North Central, the bloodshed resumed with no resistance from state actors.
Ejiofor gave a haunting account of the Wannune attack, where victims were reportedly struck in their sleep, homes torched, and farms destroyed.
“They were attacked like ghosts in the night. Families are displaced. Dreams lost,” he wrote.
Broadening his concern, Ejiofor declared that the crisis in Benue was emblematic of a nation in moral decline.
“This is not just about Benue. It’s about a country where death has become normalised, where government presence is reduced to press statements, and where citizens have turned to heaven because the state has failed them on earth.”
He posed a searing question to the political class: “Who truly owns Nigeria? The people who vote, pay taxes, and die in silence? Or the political predators who show up for photo ops and disappear when blood is spilled?”
Calling for a shift in leadership values, Ejiofor said: “Until we are led by those who fear God, value human life, and govern with conscience, Nigeria will continue to rot—not just in infrastructure, but in soul.”
He concluded with a powerful indictment of the country’s deteriorating security: “Right now, Benue is crying, Plateau is bleeding, Zamfara is burning, Kaduna is caged, and Nigeria is on her knees. Enough is enough.”
Also read: Blood on the Benue: Weeping for beleagured Nigeria
His statement has since sparked renewed conversations on social media and among civil society groups, with many Nigerians echoing his concerns and demanding immediate action from the federal government.
