Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for 2027, has condemned fresh killings in Benue and Plateau states, warning that Nigeria cannot develop while innocent citizens keep dying to violence.
Obi made the comments in a statement on his X handle on Monday, reacting to reports of new attacks that left several people dead across both states.
The former Anambra governor called the killings painful and deeply disturbing. He cited the reported murder of at least 16 people in Benue’s Otukpo-Nobi community, and the killing of nine members of one family — including a two-month-old baby — in Riyom, Plateau State.
He said the attacks reflect the insecurity that has long plagued communities in both states and beyond.
“For years, families in Benue, Plateau and other communities across Nigeria have lived under the constant shadow of fear, violence and displacement,” Obi said. “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.”
He noted that many families have lost loved ones while farmers abandon their lands and entire communities scatter under repeated attacks.
“Every Nigerian life is sacred, and every life lost is one too many,” he said. “These are not mere statistics; they are fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners and future leaders whose dreams have been violently cut short.”
Obi insisted government’s core duty is protecting lives and property, and called for a shift from routine condemnations to real action.
“The time has come to move beyond routine condemnations after every attack,” he said. “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 sent condolences to bereaved families and to the governments and people of Benue and Plateau states, praying for comfort for the grieving and strength for affected communities.
“This is not about politics; it is about humanity,” Obi said. “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.”
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