Benue Bleeds: It Needs More Than A Lackluster Statement From Tinubu

The recent massacre of around 200 innocent civilians in the Yelwata area of Benue State has triggered a wave of unprecedented outrage, both within Nigeria and across the globe. Among the most powerful voices of condemnation was Pope Leo XIV, who, from the Vatican, offered prayers for peace and called for an end to the spiraling violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Yet back in Nigeria, the silence from the country’s Commander-in-Chief is loud, a silence that speaks volumes.

Since 2015, Benue and other Middle Belt states have endured wave after wave of bloodshed, largely attributed to violent incursions by Fulani herdsmen. What began as farmer-herder clashes over open grazing has mutated into what many observers believe is an organized and covert attempt to displace indigenous communities and seize control of ancestral lands. The frequency of these attacks has surged alarmingly, yet government responses, from past to present, have remained weak, inconsistent, and disturbingly indifferent.

Under former President Muhammadu Buhari, many Nigerians watched in horror as his administration appeared reluctant to address the violence decisively. His perceived affinity for the herders and his failure to act decisively deepened public frustration. Sadly, the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not changed the reality on the ground. If anything, the situation has worsened.

According to Amnesty International, over 6,000 lives have been lost in the first two years of President Tinubu’s administration. The most recent killings in Benue, which have claimed 200 lives in one weekend, is one of the bloodiest episodes in recent memory, and yet, those responsible continue to operate with impunity. Making matters worse, security forces were seen cracking down on peaceful protesters demanding justice for the victims, raising disturbing questions about the state’s priorities and allegiance.

What further enraged the public was not just the scale of the carnage, but the president’s shameful delay in responding. It took Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation to shine an international spotlight on the tragedy before any word came from Nigeria’s presidency. When the president finally spoke, not in person but through media aides, his statement was hollow at best. Rather than offering concrete action, he deflected responsibility, urging the Benue State Governor to “reconcile the parties.”

This nonchalant response underscores troubling questions about President Tinubu’s commitment to Nigerian lives. His selective urgency is glaring: when a pipeline was bombed in Rivers State, the president swiftly declared a state of emergency and suspended the state’s democratic institutions. Yet in Benue, where entire communities are being annihilated, the president offers platitudes. It appears, to many, that in this administration, pipelines are more precious than people.

Adding insult to injury, President Tinubu has often been quick to send condolences abroad. His rapid response to an airplane crash in India, complete with a heartfelt condolence message to the Indian government, stands in jarring contrast to his aloofness over the massacre of his own citizens. Meanwhile, the Indian president not only offered condolences but also visited the crash site and met with affected families. It’s a display of leadership President Tinubu has yet to emulate on home turf.

The irony is impossible to ignore. In 2014, then-opposition leader Bola Tinubu vocally criticized President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of Boko Haram, stating unequivocally that “the buck stops at the president’s table.” Today, as president, Tinubu is attempting to pass the buck to Governor Hyacinth Alia, a former priest who, despite his pastoral experience, appears ill-equipped to manage such a complex security and humanitarian emergency. His lack of direction in the face of this crisis reflects a state government overwhelmed and under-supported.

The ongoing violence has not only humanitarian but also economic consequences. Benue is widely regarded as the nation’s food basket. As farmers are forced to flee their lands and entire communities are displaced, the ripple effects on food production are already being felt. Food inflation is on the rise, and as insecurity grows, hunger and poverty deepen across Nigeria. This crisis, if unchecked, will affect not just Benue but every Nigerian.

To demonstrate any semblance of leadership, President Tinubu must act immediately. Statements are no longer enough. The crisis demands bold, decisive action, including the deployment of adequate security forces, protection of communities, arrest and prosecution of those responsible, and a clearly defined long-term plan to address the root causes of the conflict.

To his credit, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has reportedly relocated to Benue State to coordinate a military response. However, weeks have passed, and the killings have not stopped. The presence of the COAS has, so far, not translated into peace or justice, just more mass burials, more orphaned children, and more unheeded cries for help.

President Tinubu cannot afford to be a spectator in this unfolding humanitarian disaster. His oath of office compels him to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, not just in oil-rich regions or politically strategic states, but everywhere. If he continues to respond indifferently, the bloodshed in Benue will not just stain his administration; it will define it.

The time for speeches is over. The time for action is now. Benue is bleeding. And the president must answer the call, not with words, but with will.