Wake up, Mr President, these Benue killers are coming for all of us

In 1963, the great American civil rights activist and political philosopher, Martin Luther King Jr., wrote the famous 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,' an open letter he penned from his Alabama prison cell to call for racial justice.

King wrote and I quote: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny." His words highlighted the dangers of collective silence in the face of state persecution.

His underlying message is geared towards awakening people to their moral responsibility: to break unjust law and take direct action rather than waiting for justice to come through the courts, which may never come.

Over six decades later, King's words remain golden. One could have said he was speaking into the future, addressing the oppressed citizens of the biggest black nation. Enough was enough, Nigerians roared in unison against the latest bloodletting in Benue State.

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Benue killings: Where is our President?

On Friday, June 13, 2025, underworld elements, suspected to be criminally inclined herders, struck again in Benue State. Armed to the teeth, they staged an overnight invasion of the Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of the state, cutting short over 200 lives most brutally.

The assailants spared neither women nor children. They burnt many people alive in their makeshift shelters, wiping out families in the process. Fathers have become widowed. Wives, reeling from the inexplicable loss of their husbands and the untimely death of children they had borne through the pains of labour.

By the time the attackers left the community, their regular trademark of sorrow, tears, and blood was glaring. But what was equally glaring was President Bola Tinubu's aloofness.

When a tragedy of this magnitude befalls a nation, the citizens are naturally jolted into a state of apprehension, a type that only a firm and reassuring response from the leader can assuage.

However, the President practically went to sleep at a critical hour. His most vaunted sharp reflexes to real and perceived political threats suddenly lost efficacy during a national tragedy.

His initial reaction on the third day of the incident, which came following citizens' outrage online and protests in the affected state, wasn't only lukewarm, it also failed to convince the people that the presidency possessed a full grasp of the situation.

When he was expected to calm failed nerves, the President nearly threw a bomb into a burning fire.

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The Benue killers are coming for the rest of us

Though the President tried to paint the killings as a communal clash, the Yelwata incident wasn't an isolated case, nor was it just another event in a recurring pattern of killings in the North-Central state. It was a worrying reflection of the state of the country's security.

Benue has become a hotbed of violent clashes in recent years, mostly linked to suspected herders, bandits, and militia groups. However, the last three months have seen back-to-back attacks resulting in over 300 deaths.

In April, 56 people were killed in Logo and Gbagir communities in Ukum LG by suspected herders. On the eve of the Yelwata attack, assailants hit Markurdi, the state capital, killing 25 residents of Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities.

In Aondona village in Gwer West LGA in May, gunmen killed at least 20 people and injured several others, setting fire to homes and opening fire on those trying to flee.

In 2024 alone, over 200 people were killed in attacks on Ayati, Agatu, Anyiin and other communities in the state.

But killings are not limited to Benue State. They have become widespread. In every region of the country, organised criminals continue to unleash a reign of terror on helpless citizens.

While the South-West grapples with kidnapping syndicates, terrorists and bandits continue to wreak havoc in the North-West and North-East, the North-Central has become the hotbed of violent attacks by rogue herders, while the South-East contends with insurrectionists.

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Kidnappings, traffic robbery, including one-chance, and gang attacks have become commonplace in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

When crimes occur in Nigeria, perpetrators usually walk away free, with no arrests, and when there have been arrests, prosecution and conviction have been few and far between.

The lack of consequences and justice has emboldened the assailants, creating a spectre of fear among the populace. Security isn't just what you see; it's how you feel. Nigerians don't feel safe in their own country, and this feeling is very valid.

The nation's security optics are quite glaring in how politicians and other prominent members of society move around with heavy police and military protection. But what option is available to a commoner who relies on the central police system for protection?

So, beneath the citizens' expressions of sympathy and solidarity on social media lies a deep concern about the lack of a coordinated, aggressive government approach, as this unchecked beast of insecurity continues to spread like wildfire, threatening to consume the nation.

These killers are not only limited to Benue, they're everywhere around us, and anyone could become their next victim.

A call for urgent action

The unfortunate Yelwata incident has once again exposed the frailties of the Nigerian security architecture. Over the years, there have been consistent calls for an overhaul of this centralised structure, which puts absolute power and control in the hands of the president.

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The command structure has failed the citizens, as evidenced by security threats nationwide. The military, police, paramilitary agencies, and intelligence services seem not to be set up for the complex and mutable nature of the present-day Nigerian security challenges.

While these outfits should get all the praise for every crime prevented, there have been far too many slips through the cracks, rendering their efforts insufficient in addressing asymmetric threats and maintaining public confidence.

Intelligence and manpower remain significant challenges. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Musa, while providing an update on the recent killings, said the military obtained misleading intelligence regarding the Yewalta attack.

The attackers sent the false signal to lure the military to another location, clearing the coast for them to strike unchallenged.

This is a classical example highlighting how criminals have become advanced and sophisticated in their planning and execution of attacks and a challenge for our security operatives to step up their game.

Intelligence failure aside, when assailants invade a community in large numbers, commit crimes, and drive away unhindered, it begs the question: where is the police response?

The police are meant to be the first line of defence citizens can count on, but we've seen a consistent pattern of reactive policing rather than proactive engagement.

However, shortage of manpower, poor remuneration and service conditions, low morale caused by neglect and lack of care have decimated the spirit of the Nigerian police.

However, the greatest tragedy in our policing system is the concentration of power in the central government, which puts governors at the mercy of federal intervention. This system needs to go, and it needs to happen fast.

We've had enough chatter about state policing; it's time for implementation. Yes, the fears are valid - funding and potential abuse by governors - but they pose less danger than the current arrangement.

When governors are empowered to command an insecurity response, the responsibility to protect their people falls solely on their shoulders. This system can enhance local intelligence gathering, help officers to maneuver local terrains, eliminate politicisation of insecurity and most importantly, localise policing.

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As a matter of urgency, governors must activate dispute resolution mechanisms to identify conflicts and promptly nip them in the bud.

While security operatives continue to do their best with available resources, the brutal reality is that we need more efforts. The consequences of insecurity are too dire to be treated with levity.