Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a passionate call for urgent intervention in Benue State, where persistent killings and violence have continued to devastate communities. In a strongly worded statement titled “Enough is Enough: Benue Cannot Bleed in Silence,” Atiku condemned what he described as the government’s failure to protect lives.
“For years, families have buried loved ones in silence, villages have been ravaged, and communities shattered while those in power offer hollow assurances,” he said.
Atiku criticized the use of force against citizens protesting the insecurity, calling it a “betrayal of the sacred duty of leadership.” He noted that Nigerians have a constitutional right to life and protection, not brutality.
“What kind of government meets a cry for safety with the barrel of a gun and a canister of gas?” he asked, denouncing what he termed the “frightening normalization of violence.”
The former presidential candidate called on federal and state leaders to prioritize human life over political optics, urging collaboration with security agencies to build a more effective and responsive security architecture.
He also linked the crisis in Benue to broader insecurity across the nation, including in Plateau, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Taraba, where similar violence persists.
“We urge the people not to be silenced. Raise your voices. Demand accountability. Demand justice,” Atiku said.
He warned that history would judge harshly those who “chose power over people,” stressing that the time to act is now.
