The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has condemned the fresh attacks that claimed lives in Benue and Plateau States, lamenting that Nigeria cannot continue to accept the cycle of killings as normal.
During the attacks over the weekend, at least 16 people were killed in the Otukpo-Nobi community of Benue State, while nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Reacting to the killings, Obi described them as painful and deeply disturbing, noting that they are a reminder that the relentless cycle of bloodshed in some parts of Nigeria has persisted for far too long.
“For years, families in Benue, Plateau and other communities across Nigeria have lived under the constant shadow of fear, violence, and displacement,” he decried.
“Mothers have buried their children, children have become orphans overnight, farmers have abandoned their lands, and entire communities have been left devastated. We cannot continue to accept this tragic cycle as though it were normal. It is not.”
Obi noted that the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property, stressing that every Nigerian life is sacred and that every life lost is one too many.
He expressed concern that the victims were not mere statistics but fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners, and future leaders whose dreams had been violently cut short.
He also asserted that the time has come to move beyond routine condemnations after every attack, emphasising that Nigerians deserve a security architecture that is proactive rather than reactive, driven by intelligence, rapid response and accountability.
“Those responsible for these atrocities must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted. The culture of impunity must end,” Obi said.
He condoled with the bereaved families, as well as the governments and people of Benue and Plateau States. “I pray that God grants comfort to all who mourn, healing to the injured, and strength to every community struggling to rebuild after these repeated tragedies.”
Obi further stated that the issue is not about politics but humanity, urging Nigerians to summon the collective will to secure the nation and restore hope to everyone.
He added that no country can develop when its citizens live in fear, and no society can prosper when innocent blood continues to flow unchecked.
