Obi visits Benue massacre site, demands action

Peter Obi has visited communities hit by recent attacks in Benue State, calling on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to protect lives and property.

Former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, visited communities affected by recent attacks in Benue State, urging the Federal Government to intensify efforts to protect lives and property.

Obi made this known in a post on his official Facebook page on Friday after visiting Otukpo-Nobi and Efeyi-Ugboju communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state. He said he visited Otukpo-Nobi, where more than 10 people were killed or declared missing in an attack, and Efeyi-Ugboju, where more than 13 people were reportedly killed. According to him, he joined residents at the mass burial site in Otukpo-Nobi to pray for the victims and also visited injured survivors in the hospital.

“Having visited, seen, and spoken with those affected, I urge the Federal Government to demonstrate a greater commitment to securing the lives and property of citizens and to closing the ungoverned spaces that have become breeding grounds for insecurity,” he said.

Obi also said he was informed during the visit that 14 people had been abducted along Ankpechi Road earlier that morning. He described the government’s responsibility for protecting citizens as a “sacred obligation,” saying communities affected by violence should not be left to cope with recurring attacks.

“The primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of its citizens. When government fails in this responsibility, as it has with the people of Otukpo-Nobi, Efeyi-Ugboju, and other troubled communities, it must be reminded of that sacred obligation,” he said.

The NDC presidential candidate’s visit comes amid a series of deadly attacks in Benue South. Suspected armed herders attacked Otukpo-Nobi on 12 July, killing at least 10 residents and injuring several others. On 28 July, another attack occurred at Efeyi-Ugboju. At least 15 people were reportedly killed in the early-morning attack, according to local authorities and residents. The attack triggered widespread fear in neighbouring communities, with residents fleeing their homes and calling for a stronger security presence. A mass burial was subsequently held for the victims of the Efeyi-Ugboju attack on August 9, with 15 white caskets laid to rest.

This echoes the 2018 violence in Benue, when herdsmen attacks also led to mass displacement and calls for government action. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: communities attacked, lives lost, and a government struggling to respond.

The winners: the victims, who have received attention and prayers; and Obi, who has shown leadership by visiting the affected communities. The losers: the families of the dead and the injured; and the Nigerian state, which has failed to protect its citizens.

Bottom Line: Peter Obi has visited the scene of Benue’s latest massacre. The government’s failure to protect its citizens is on full display. The question is whether the visit will lead to action or just more condemnation.