Gladness Gideon
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has sharply criticized the Federal Government over its handling of the recent mass killings in Benue State, describing President Bola Tinubu’s response as “lukewarm,” “insensitive,” and devoid of “basic human empathy.”
In a strongly worded statement released in Abuja on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, condemned the murder of over 200 residents in Yelewata community, Guma Local Government Area, allegedly by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
“This is a horrifying act of mass murder,” Johnson said. “Over 200 innocent Nigerians were slaughtered, and property destroyed without provocation. What’s worse, it took the Federal Government days to meaningfully intervene.”
The NNPP expressed frustration over what it views as the Tinubu administration’s inability—or unwillingness—to decisively address the ongoing violence plaguing Benue State. The party questioned the effectiveness of recent peace overtures, including a stakeholders’ meeting held in Makurdi, where the President reportedly queried why no arrests had been made.
“It’s no longer enough to call for peace meetings in Abuja,” Johnson stated. “The question—‘How come no arrest has been made?’—is one that Nigerians have been asking for years. Where is the justice?”
Johnson criticised the President’s perceived suggestion that victims should engage in dialogue with their attackers, calling the idea “preposterous.” He asserted that the violence in Benue transcends communal conflict, describing it instead as “organised terrorism or even genocide.”
“How do you ask grieving communities to sit down and negotiate with killers?” he asked. “Until the government recognises these atrocities for what they truly are—acts of terrorism—the carnage will continue unchecked.”
The NNPP further lambasted a leaked directive, allegedly from a presidential aide, calling on support groups to stage a “colourful procession” in Makurdi during the President’s visit. The party condemned the move as deeply inappropriate given the scale of the tragedy.
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“Such fanfare amid tragedy shows a stunning lack of empathy,” Johnson said. “How could anyone think it appropriate to stage a spectacle while hundreds of citizens lie dead and communities are grieving?”
In its concluding remarks, the NNPP extended condolences to the people of Benue State and urged the Federal Government to rise beyond platitudes and take decisive action.
“This moment calls for courage and political will,” the statement read. “President Tinubu must find it within himself to call a spade a spade—not a big spoon.”
The party reaffirmed its call for the swift deployment of security forces and intelligence operations to bring perpetrators to justice and dismantle the “reign of terror” that has gripped parts of the Middle Belt.