Benue massacre: Tinubu govt has failed Nigerians — Terver Atsar

Former Benue State governorship aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Chief Terver Atsar, has come down hard on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the worsening security situation in Benue State, declaring that the government has failed Nigerians.

Atsar, in a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, by his media assistant, Upev Martins,
said the Federal Government’s inability to protect the people of Benue, particularly in the wake of the latest massacre in Yelewata, amounts to nothing short of negligence and betrayal of constitutional duty.

He described the Yelewata killings, which claimed over 200 lives, as one too many, accusing the Federal Government of looking the other way while Fulani militia unleash terror on helpless communities across the state.

“To repeatedly carry guns, travel through many states unhindered, attack Benue indigenes, and return scot-free smacks of either collusion with the assailants or gross incompetence on the part of the security forces,” Atsar said.

The former governorship hopeful lamented that despite numerous military and police checkpoints scattered across highways, the perpetrators of these heinous crimes continue to operate freely, a situation he believes reflects poorly on the leadership and intelligence capacity of the security agencies.

“These terrorists travel on roads full of police and military checkpoints, yet they are never detected. What a shame!” he stated.

Atsar insisted that President Tinubu must go beyond political rhetoric and act decisively to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians, especially those in the Middle Belt who have been repeatedly targeted by armed militias.

“The Federal Government has failed in its primary responsibility, which is to protect its citizens,” he declared. “Mr. President must rise to the occasion. The title of Commander-in-Chief is not for fun.”

He further warned that continued silence and inaction from the government would only embolden the attackers and escalate the cycle of bloodshed in Benue and other affected states.

Atsar called on the federal government to immediately deploy adequate security to vulnerable communities, prosecute perpetrators of these atrocities, and initiate long-term strategies to halt the coordinated attacks.