The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has condemned the latest wave of attacks in Benue and Plateau states, describing the killings as heartbreaking and unacceptable.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X account on Monday, expressed concern over the deaths recorded in the affected communities and urged authorities to adopt a more proactive and intelligence-driven approach to tackling insecurity across the country.
His reaction followed the killing of at least 16 people in the Otukpo-Nobi community of Benue State and the murder of nine members of a family, including a two-month-old infant, in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attacks in Benue also claimed two additional lives in Akpachi village, Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area, on Friday, raising the death toll in the state to at least 18.
In Plateau State, community sources said the victims, all members of the same family, were killed on Saturday night when gunmen attacked Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom LGA.
Reacting to the incidents, Obi said the continued bloodshed in parts of the country underscored the urgent need for more effective security measures.
“The reported murders in Benue and Plateau are a painful reminder that the relentless cycle of bloodshed in parts of our country has persisted for far too long,” he said.
According to him, residents of Benue, Plateau and several other communities have endured years of violence, fear and displacement, with devastating consequences for families and livelihoods.
“For years, families in Benue, Plateau and other communities across Nigeria have lived under the constant shadow of fear, violence and displacement. 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 stated.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that safeguarding lives and property remains the foremost responsibility of government, noting that every Nigerian life is valuable.
“The primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property. Every Nigerian life is sacred, and every life lost is one too many. These are not mere statistics; they are fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners and future leaders whose dreams have been violently cut short,” he said.
Obi also called on the authorities to move beyond issuing statements of condemnation after attacks, insisting that a comprehensive security framework rooted in intelligence gathering, rapid response and accountability was needed.
“The time has come to move beyond routine condemnations after every attack. 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,” he added.
He extended his sympathies to the families of the victims as well as the governments and people of Benue and Plateau states, while praying for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attacks.
“This is not about politics; it is about humanity. We must summon the collective will to secure our nation and restore hope to our people. No country can develop when its citizens live in fear, and no society can prosper when innocent blood continues to flow unchecked,” Obi said.