Presidency Downplays Benue Slaughter as Mutual Conflict – Ex- Presidential candidate, Ameh Peter
…..As Tinubu blamed victims, ignored killers
The Presidency’s response to the ongoing mass killings in Benue State is not only disappointing but utterly reprehensible. The calls for the arrest of “perpetrators on all sides” and the advocacy for “dialogue and reconciliation” to bring peace to Benue are grossly disconnected from the grim reality on the ground.
Chief Peter Ameh, Former National Chairman, IPAC and 2019 former Presidential candidate, has stated that suggesting dialogue with terrorists who commit atrocities, such as slaughtering innocent men, women, and children in nighttime attacks and destroying entire communities, is not only unworkable but also an affront to the victims. Furthermore, the Presidency’s failure to identify the perpetrators raises concerns, and proposing negotiations may be perceived as implying shared responsibility for the victims’ massacre.
Equally outrageous is the President’s assertion that “political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings.” This misplacement of blame suggests that the true threat lies in the words of grieving communities rather than the actions of terrorists who are systematically wiping out entire villages. Such rhetoric is not only misleading but perpetuates a dangerous narrative that dismisses the targeted nature of these attacks.
The people of Benue are not engaged in a mutual conflict—they are victims of a deliberate and brutal campaign of extermination. The Tinubu-led administration’s attempt to frame this mass slaughter as a two-sided dispute is both dishonest and disgraceful.
This clear bias insults the memory of those who have lost their lives and undermines the suffering of the entire North Central region. We demand an unequivocal condemnation of these terrorist acts, decisive action to protect vulnerable communities, and justice for the victims—not empty calls for dialogue or blame-shifting that emboldens the perpetrators.
The people of Benue deserve better. The people of North Central deserves better. Nigeria must stand against this genocide with clarity and resolve, not platitudes and excuses.
