Rising killings in Taraba, Benue, Kogi a failure of leadership, says Peter Obi
Former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned in the strongest terms the unrelenting wave of violence engulfing parts of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi States, describing the killings as “heartbreaking” and emblematic of a “failure of leadership.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday on X, Obi lamented the tragic loss of life in the affected states, stressing that the country was veering dangerously towards a state of lawlessness and moral collapse.
“The news of the continued senseless killings that have gripped parts of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi States in recent times is heartbreaking. 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 declared.
The former governor highlighted that in recent months, the region has seen families decimated, communities razed, and lives — including those of women, children, and religious leaders — wiped out in bloody attacks that have become disturbingly routine. He expressed deep concern over what he described as a tepid national response to the humanitarian and security catastrophe.
“The bloodshed is staggering, yet the response remains weak and muted. As homes are destroyed and communities torn apart, we risk normalizing the unacceptable: mass killings, displacement, and the collapse of law and order,” he said.
“These are not mere statistics, they are our fellow Nigerians. Each life lost is a tragedy that must not be ignored.”
Obi, known for his outspoken stance on national security and governance issues, emphasized that protecting lives and property is the fundamental obligation of any functional government. He questioned what kind of society Nigeria was becoming if the sanctity of human life could be so easily ignored.
“I have always maintained that the primary duty of the National government is the protection of life and property. 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? What future are we promising our children?”
He expressed heartfelt solidarity with the victims and the grieving families, saying he not only mourns with them but also shares in their agony. However, he warned that empathy alone is not enough, adding that continued silence from leadership amounts to complicity.
“I mourn with the good people of Taraba, Benue, and Kogi. I share their grief, and I feel their pain. But I also raise my voice because silence in the face of such horror is complicity,” Obi stated.
“We need urgent action, not rhetoric. We need justice, not excuses. We as leaders must value human life and will defend it with everything we have.”
He ended the statement with a clarion call for a return to human dignity, national conscience, and decisive leadership, urging Nigerians and those in authority to act before the nation slips further into chaos.
“Nigeria cannot continue like this. This is not the Nigeria we deserve. We must end this bloodshed. We must reclaim our humanity.”
Peter Obi’s remarks come amid escalating concerns over insecurity in the Middle Belt and Northern regions, where armed attacks on villages and farming communities have persisted with minimal accountability. Human rights groups and civil society organisations have long called on the Federal Government to overhaul its security architecture, address the root causes of the violence, and deliver justice to affected communities.
As Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads, Obi’s impassioned message adds to growing demands for decisive action to halt the bloodshed and rebuild trust in leadership.
