The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar have condemned the recent killings of Nigerians in Benue State.

While the PDP described the killing as another horrifying chapter in Nigeria’s history under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, Atiku said the bloodshed cannot afford to continue.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologungaba, PDP said it was alarmed by reports of how terrorists and bandits invaded and overran 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 remains largely unconcerned.

Ologunagba said it is clear that the assailants marauding communities in various States of the country are being emboldened by President Tinubu’s lethargic approach to security as well as the alleged complicity of the APC which has failed to decisively confront the situation given its reported connection with terrorist interests.

He said, “It is traumatic to watch the gory pictures and videos of Nigerians who were murdered in cold blood in Benue State and other parts of the country while President Tinubu and the APC carry on as if all is well.”

The opposition party claimed that President Tinubu should be held responsible for the killings in Nigeria because he has not  demonstrated the will and commitment expected of a Commander-in-Chief in the fight against terrorism in the country.

“Instead, he has remained largely aloof and resorted to passing the buck with his aides issuing lame press statements without corresponding urgent presidential action to guarantee the security of citizens.

“The obvious fact is that President Tinubu and the APC are overwhelmed and have abandoned the security and wellbeing of citizens which are the primary purpose of government. Instead, they are focused on politics and illusive re-election in 2027 while leaving the nation at the mercy of outlaws who have killed over 600,000 Nigerians in the last two years.”

The PDP however  charged President Tinubu to end his lethargic approach to security, adding that he  should show leadership as the Commander-in-Chief and lead from the front by immediately visiting the troubled communities in Benue State and take decisive action to end the killings in the country.

The PDP however commended security forces for their gallantry and sacrifices to secure the nation especially under an incompetent Commander-in-Chief.

The party also commiserated with the families of the victims of the killings in Benue State and other parts of the country and urged security agencies not to relent in their effort to ensure the security of lives and property in Nigeria.

On his part, Atiku said the bloodshed in Benue State has reached a devastating crescendo — a brutal and heart-wrenching reality that can no longer be ignored.

He lamented that for years, families have buried their loved ones in silence, villages have been ravaged, and communities shattered, while those in power watch from a distance, offering nothing but hollow assurances.

“How much more must the people of Benue endure before their humanity is acknowledged? Their demand is simple: to live in peace, to sleep without fear, to farm without being slaughtered, and to raise their children without the constant shadow of violence.

“When citizens take to the streets to protest this injustice, they are not inciting rebellion, they are crying for help. They are demanding what every Nigerian is constitutionally entitled to: the right to life and the protection of that life by the state. But what do they receive in return? Tear gas. Brutality. Disdain. It is pouring hot oil on an open wound.

“To unleash force on grieving, defenseless citizens is not governance, it is cruelty. It is a betrayal of the sacred duty of leadership. What kind of government meets a cry for safety with the barrel of a gun and a canister of gas?

He said the silence, the indifference and the lack of urgency is all damning, stressing that it speaks to a deeper rot in the conscience of leadership, a frightening normalisation of violence against the very people they swore to protect.

“This is a call to conscience to every leader at both the federal and state levels: stop turning a blind eye while Benue drowns in blood. Stop offering condolences and start offering solutions. Work with security agencies, deploy resources, and craft a security architecture that prioritizes human lives over political optics.

“Benue is not alone. From Plateau to Zamfara, Kaduna to Taraba; the cries are the same. Nigerians are bleeding and begging to be heard.

“We urge the people not to be silenced. Raise your voices. Demand accountability. Demand justice. Demand a government that sees you, hears you, and protects you.

“History will not be kind to those who chose power over people. The time to act is now,” he said.

[Leadership]