NNPP Slams Tinubu, Alia Over Jubilant Ceremony In Benue Amid Massacre
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu over his handling of the recent massacre in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 200 residents were reportedly killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the NNPP described the Federal Government’s response as “lukewarm,” “insensitive,” and lacking “basic human empathy,” accusing the Tinubu administration of gross negligence in the face of what the party termed “organised terrorism or even genocide.”
“Over 200 Slaughtered Without Provocation”
“This is a horrifying act of mass murder. Over 200 innocent Nigerians were slaughtered and property destroyed without provocation.
“What’s worse, it took the Federal Government days to meaningfully intervene,” said Ladipo Johnson, National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP.
The party expressed deep frustration with what it described as the President’s pattern of rhetorical posturing rather than tangible action. It condemned the government’s failure to swiftly apprehend perpetrators or even show urgent concern.
According to Johnson, the recurring violence in Benue has turned the state into “a killing field,” with no clear federal strategy to address the crisis.
He criticised the President’s remarks during a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, where Tinubu reportedly asked, “How come no arrest has been made?”—a question Johnson said Nigerians have been asking for years.
“It’s no longer enough to call for peace meetings in Abuja,” Johnson stated. “The question he asked is one Nigerians have posed repeatedly. Where is the justice? Where is the accountability?”
The NNPP was especially incensed by the President’s suggestion—interpreted by many as urging victims to negotiate with their attackers.
Johnson dismissed the notion as “preposterous,” insisting that the violence in Benue is far beyond the realm of communal disputes.
“How do you ask grieving communities to sit down and negotiate with killers?” he queried.
“Until the government recognises these atrocities for what they truly are—acts of terrorism—the carnage will continue unchecked.”
Further fueling outrage was the party’s response to a leaked directive allegedly from a presidential aide, instructing the Benue State Governor to organise a “colourful procession” to welcome President Tinubu to Makurdi, just days after the massacre.
“Such fanfare amid tragedy shows a stunning lack of empathy,” Johnson fumed. “How could anyone think it appropriate to stage a spectacle while hundreds of citizens lie dead and communities are grieving?”
The NNPP said the incident reflects a wider problem within the administration—an apparent disconnect from the pain and suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
The NNPP called on the Federal Government to go beyond rhetoric and perform its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property. It urged the immediate deployment of intelligence and security forces to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killings.
“This moment calls for courage and political will. President Tinubu must find it within himself to call a spade a spade—not a big spoon,” Johnson concluded.
The party extended heartfelt condolences to the people of Benue State and reaffirmed its solidarity with communities affected by insecurity.
NNPP Slams Tinubu, Alia Over Jubilant Ceremony In Benue Amid Massacre is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
