From Attah Ede, Makurdi, Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu, Laide Akinboade, Johnson Eyiangho and Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun yesterday, visited Benue State following the latest coordinated attacks on Yelewata community by suspected Fulani herdsmen which resulted in the death of over 200 people with many others injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

Atiku Condemns Benue killings, Urges Leaders to ActFormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Federal Government and other political leaders to take urgent action in response to the rising violence and bloodshed in Benue State, declaring that the killings have reached an “unbearable crescendo.”In a statement released on Monday via X, Atiku decried what he described as the continued silence and indifference of authorities in the face of the “brutal and heart-wrenching reality” in Benue and other parts of the country affected by violent attacks.The former presidential candidate criticised the state’s response to public protests over the killings, saying the use of force on demonstrators amounted to a betrayal of leadership.Atiku urged leaders at all levels to prioritise human lives over political optics and warned that history would not be kind to those who “chose power over people.”He also stressed the need for a comprehensive security architecture and better coordination with security agencies to protect lives and restore peace in Benue and other troubled regions such as Plateau, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Taraba.CAN Calls for Urgent Action over Benue MassacreThe Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Monday raised the alarm over the continued horrific wave of violence that recently swept through Benue State, resulting in the tragic loss of over 200 lives in a series of coordinated attacks.This was contained in a statement by CAN President in Abuja.”These senseless killings have inflicted immeasurable pain on families, devastated communities, and further entrenched the insecurity threatening our nation. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and pray for the peaceful repose of the departed souls.”For too long, the people of Benue have been subjected to recurrent assaults, often blamed on armed groups, without meaningful intervention or justice. This persistent failure to safeguard citizens and bring perpetrators to account has emboldened attackers and prolonged the cycle of violence,” the statement reads in parts.PDP Condemns Benue Killing, Holds Tinubu ResponsibleThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has in very strong terms condemned the gruesome massacre of over 200 Nigerians including children in Benue State describing it as another horrifying chapter in the history of the nation under the unresponsive All Progressives Congress (APC) government.The PDP said in a statement by its Spokesman, Hon Debo Ologunagba, yesterday that it was alarmed by reports of how terrorists and bandits invaded and overrun communities in series of coordinated daily bloody attacks, unleashing violence, murdering hundreds of defenseless compatriots unchallenged, while the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led APC government remain largely unconcerned.The PDP accused Tinubu of remaining largely aloof and resorting to passing the buck with his aides issuing lame press statements without corresponding urgent presidential action to guarantee the security of citizens in face of the killings.The PDP called on President Tinubu to end his lethargic approach to security and show leadership as the Commander-in-Chief and lead from the front by immediately visiting the troubled communities in Benue State and taking decisive action to end the killings in the country.It however commended the security forces for their gallantry and sacrifices to secure the nation, especially under an incompetent Commander-in-Chief, deeply commiserated with the families of the victims of the senseless killings in Benue State and other parts of the country and urged the security agencies not to relent in their effort to ensure the security of lives and property.People May Be Forced to Defend Themselves, Mark Warns FGThe former Senate President, David Mark has expressed deep concern over the continued and escalating killings of citizens in Benue State, warning the federal government that if decisive action is not taken to avert the carnage, citizens will be forced to resort to self-help mechanisms.Describing the killings as senseless, tragic and unacceptable, Senator Mark decried the deteriorating security situation in Benue, which has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and widespread destruction of property.Speaking yesterday through his media aide, Paul Mumeh the former Benue South senator emphasized that the primary responsibility of any government is the welfare and security of its citizens, stressing that any deviation from this mandate constitutes a gross disservice to the people.Senator Mark however urged the Federal Government to fulfill its constitutional obligation to safeguard the lives and property of all Nigerians, while calling on the state government, under the leadership of Governor Hyacinth Alia, to intensify its efforts in ensuring the safety of the people.In addition, the former Senate President appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, and stakeholders to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security agencies in identifying and apprehending those behind these heinous crimes.Stop the Killings, CAPPA Demands Immediate ActionCorporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has condemned in strongest terms the senseless massacre of over 200 persons in Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, decrying the cold indifference of federal and state authorities and the paralysis of security forces in the face of unrelenting carnage.In a statement released and signed by the media and communication Officer Robert Egbe over the weekend, the organisation lamented the vicious attacks which left many dead, scores terribly wounded, and families displaced without shelter or medical care. It denounced the atrocity as an “appalling new low in human cruelty.”According to eyewitness testimonies, attackers suspected to be herders stormed Yelewata in the early hours of Saturday, armed with sophisticated weapons. They reportedly doused shelters housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in petrol and set them ablaze during a brutal two-hour rampage. In a separate incident, another group of aggressors descended on Daudu, killing at least five security officers, including both policemen and soldiers during the hit.The ramifications, CAPPA warned, extend far beyond Yelewata and Benue State, “they portend a deeper rot in the state’s security architecture and the collapse of basic government responsibility.”The organisation levelled sharp criticisms at Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration and the federal government, describing their repeated assurances of security as “hollow rhetoric” that has failed to effectively address the root causes of the issues or translated into tangible protection in Benue and other insecurity hotspots nationwide.Civil society and community oversight, CAPPA insisted, must accompany this force to ensure accountability and prevent the re-emergence of rogue elements under different guises.It called for the formation of community-led peace councils in vulnerable areas, comprising both farmers and herders. These councils, elected by residents, would meet regularly to negotiate land-use agreements, resolve disputes, and defuse tensions before they erupt into violence.