The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s response to the recent mass killing of residents in Benue State, describing the actions of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as grossly inadequate, disturbingly indifferent, and lacking basic human empathy.
In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja, the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, decried the massacre of over 200 people in the Yelewata community, located in Guma Local Government Area of the state. The attack, reportedly carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen, left widespread devastation in its wake.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy. More than 200 innocent Nigerians were murdered, their homes destroyed, yet the Federal Government took days to offer a meaningful response,” Johnson said. “This delay reflects not only administrative negligence but a disturbing absence of compassion for human life.”
The NNPP took particular aim at President Tinubu’s remarks during a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, where the President questioned the lack of arrests. Johnson described the President’s comments as superficial and out of touch with the dire realities on the ground.
“It’s not enough to ask rhetorical questions like, ‘How come no arrest has been made?’ Nigerians have been asking the same for years. What the country needs now is action—clear, bold, and accountable,” Johnson stressed.
While acknowledging the government’s call for peace meetings, the NNPP argued that such interventions have repeatedly failed to curb the violence in Benue.
According to Johnson, “Endless dialogue in Abuja has not stopped the bloodshed. The government must marshal its intelligence and security resources to bring the perpetrators to justice and dismantle the networks behind this ongoing reign of terror.”
The party further condemned what it described as a deeply troubling suggestion from the Federal Government that victims of the violence should consider negotiating with their attackers.
“Let’s be clear: this is not a communal clash. It is organised terrorism—possibly genocide,” Johnson declared. “How can you ask grieving communities to negotiate with those who massacred their people? It is an insult to the memory of the dead and a betrayal of the living.”
Adding to the outrage, the NNPP referenced a leaked directive allegedly issued by a presidential aide to the Benue State Governor, requesting that support groups organise a “colourful procession” to welcome President Tinubu to Makurdi. The move, coming amid the fresh grief of the community, was described by the party as “disgraceful.”
“Staging a festive welcome in the shadow of mass death displays a shocking level of tone-deafness and insensitivity,” Johnson said. “It reflects a complete disconnect from the suffering of the people and sends the wrong message to a nation in mourning.”
The NNPP called on President Tinubu to rise to the occasion, show leadership, and move beyond empty rhetoric. The party urged him to confront the situation head-on by recognising the attacks for what they truly are—acts of terrorism—and by ensuring that justice is served.
“This is a moment that demands courage, honesty, and political will. President Tinubu must find it within himself to call a spade a spade—not a big spoon,” Johnson concluded.
The NNPP extended its deepest condolences to the families and communities affected by the massacre, reaffirming its commitment to justice, peace, and the protection of all Nigerian lives—regardless of region, religion, or ethnicity.