A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 2027 governorship hopeful in Benue State, Godwin Ityoachimin, has condemned the continued brutal killings of citizens in the state by suspected armed herders.
In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, Ityoachimin described the killings of “defenceless men, women, and children” as a devastating blow to the collective conscience of the state and the nation.
“The killings of our people by suspected herdsmen militia is not only tragic but deeply unacceptable,” he stated. “This is not an isolated incident, but part of a troubling pattern of violent attacks that continue to claim lives and destroy livelihoods across Benue communities.”
The former APC governorship aspirant in the 2023 elections called on relevant authorities to take urgent and concerted action to end the bloodshed and bring the perpetrators to justice.
He expressed concern over what he described as the glaring failure—and in some cases, unwillingness—of the Benue State Government to protect its citizens.
“What is most disheartening and unacceptable is the glaring inability—and in many respects, unwillingness—of the Benue State Government to protect its citizens. The silence, inaction, blame game, and now evident insensitivity from those in power amounts to complicity. When a government fails in its foremost duty of safeguarding lives and property, it loses its moral and constitutional legitimacy,” he said.
Ityoachimin also condemned the state’s response to peaceful protests by youths who took to the streets to express their pain and demand justice. According to him, rather than defending the people, armed security operatives were deployed to suppress their voices.
“This act is a shameful affront to democratic values and human dignity. A government that turns its guns on its own people while leaving communities unguarded against external attackers has completely lost the plot,” he lamented.
He stressed that the people of Benue deserve protection, not silence, adding that “leadership is not about intimidation or excuses.”
As a lasting solution, Ityoachimin urged the state government to urgently establish a permanent community security force, equip and legally empower local vigilante groups and community defense teams under proper oversight to complement formal security agencies.
He also called for the institutionalization of state policing, through renewed constitutional advocacy for the creation of a Benue State Police to ensure timely and localized responses to security threats.
Highlighting the role of technology, he proposed the deployment of drones and surveillance systems in vulnerable communities, as well as the establishment of a rapid-response system in rural and border areas.
Additionally, he advocated for the creation of a Security Accountability Framework to monitor and audit the effectiveness of security deployments and response times in high-risk Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Ityoachimin further called for community-based peacebuilding initiatives to promote dialogue, truth-telling, and mediation involving traditional rulers, youth groups, and civil society actors.
He underscored the need to enhance victim support and reconstruction programmes that would provide immediate relief, resettlement, and psychological support to survivors, along with long-term plans for rebuilding affected communities.
“Let me make it clear—our people cannot be silenced, and their blood will not be forgotten. I stand in solidarity with every family mourning today and with every citizen whose voice has been stifled by oppression and fear,” he declared.
While urging the state government to fulfil its promises, Ityoachimin reminded current leaders that “history will not be kind to those who watched their citizens die in silence and turned weapons on those who dared to speak.”
“We must act now—decisively and collectively—to ensure this nightmare does not become our norm,” he concluded.
