President Tinubu asked to declare state of emergency in Benue as killings worsen

Renowned Professor of Law Practice and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sebastine Hon, has formally petitioned President Bola Tinubu, urging the declaration of a state of emergency in Benue State in response to escalating insecurity marked by relentless attacks and the killing of hundreds of innocent residents.

In his petition, Hon underscored the urgent need for decisive federal intervention to restore peace and stability in the state. He painted a grim picture of the security situation, warning that continued inaction would only embolden the perpetrators and deepen the humanitarian crisis.

The petition strongly criticizes Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for what Hon described as a grossly inadequate response to the violence.

He condemned the governor’s dismissal of the persistent attacks as mere “skirmishes,” arguing that such characterizations trivialize the scale of the tragedy and the suffering of affected communities.

Hon cited specific incidents, including a brazen daylight attack on Agan community in Makurdi on May 29, 2025, and deadly assaults on Naka and Edikwu-Ankpali communities on June 1, 2025. He noted that despite the high number of casualties, there had been no official condemnation or concrete action from the state government.

The distinguished legal scholar expressed outrage over what he termed the governor’s “dismissive and negligent” social media responses, which he said reflect a troubling lack of empathy for victims.

Hon also detailed his personal efforts to draw attention to the crisis, including a joint letter to the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the State Security Services. In the letter, he highlighted systemic failures in security operations across the state. However, he lamented that despite these efforts, the attacks have continued unabated, with little to no tangible results.

Parts of the letter read: “The fact that the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, keeps labelling the massive killings going on in Benue State as mere “skirmishes” and therefore justifying his unwillingness to address the matter. Few most recent examples (without overloading Mr. President who is ever busy with countless previous examples) shall suffice here:
(i) On May 29, 2025, Agan Community, right in Makurdicity, the State Capital, was attacked in broad daylight. Today marks four (4) days since then, and our dear Governor has not deemed it fit to issue a statement consoling the victims, not to talk of visiting the bereaved families/scene of attack. Indeed, he was dancing around on podiums in celebration of his two years in office on that same day – hours after the social media was agog with gory pictures and videos of the dead and the wounded.
(ii) On June 1, 2025, Naka, the Gwer West Local Government headquarters and Edikwu-Ankpali community in Apa Local Area of Benue State, came under deadly attacks, resulting in several fatalities. Till this moment, the state government has not deemed it necessary to issue any statement of concern, let alone condemnation. Rather, the Governor released a social media statement on his official handle several hours after news of the murderous attacks was already on air, pontificating about his attendance at the funeral of HRH Jam Gbinde in Konshisha Local Government Area.”

What was so annoying, he points out, was that political thugs assembled later that same day in Government House and were seen chanting “No Alia, No Benue.”

He further notes that every criticism of the governor’s lacklustre performance on security issues, or even suggestions on the way forward, quickly attracts attacks from the governor’s social media supporters, who accuse victims, sympathisers, and commentators of “playing politics with human lives”.

Hon states: “In the near recent time, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, decried, in plenary (reported by the national media), the attitude of the Governor, who kept quiet after over 50 of his subjects were killed.”

On his opinion that the military commanders in Benue State seem to have all taken sides with the murderers, he writes: “Too many examples abound; but kindly take note of the following:
(i) Agan Community in the North Bank area of Makurdi Metropolis was, as stated above, attacked on May 29, 2025, in broad daylight by the terrorists. Even though there is a military barracks in the same North Bank, no soldier was deployed to arrest the situation.
(ii) On May 24, 2025, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo was attacked on his way from Makurdi to Naka, the headquarters of Gwer-East LGA. The scene was just about 500 meters from a military checkpoint; but none of the soldiers at the checkpoint came to his rescue until the attackers left him for dead. He is lucky to be alive today.
(iii) There are several online allegations of the complicity of the military in the attacks. Only on May 31, 2025, Catholic priests directly accused the military of complicity and further informed the whole world how the Church has lost priests and laity and has closed over 15 parishes in Benue State. Kindly see a report on this by The Punch Newspaper, attached hereto, Sir.
“The attackers always come in the numbers on motorcycles. Meanwhile, there are several military checkpoints along the roads. Where and how, if I may ask, do those murderers pass to the points of attack and back to their newly acquired ‘bases’?

“In most cases, the social media is always agog with mass movement of those armed invaders. Even if there is intelligence failure (which is hereby flatly denied), those social media alerts have so far proved to be credible and reliable – because those heinous attacks take place in the directions/area the reports had mentioned.

“In other flashpoints in Nigeria where insecurity has not even reached this level and dimension, the military has deployed drones and fighter jets/helicopters. Every Nigerian has seen the results so far; but I wonder why this same gesture is not extended to Benue State.

“From the above abridged narration of the unfortunate developments in Benue State, it is MOST IMPERATIVE that a state of military emergency be declared by Mr. President in the State, pursuant to the provisions, as you very well know, Sir, of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Both historical and empirical factors support this; and I hereby adumbrate them.”

Recounting past circumstances leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in Nigeria’s history, he draws a parallel between Nigeria and the United States of America:
“The Nigerian Constitution is modelled after the USA Constitution. Both countries are operating federal Constitutions and the presidential system of government. Examples of declarations of state of emergency by successive US presidents may be of assistance here. Kindly note that, as at the end of April, 2025, ninety (90) emergencies had been declared in US history, out of which 41 have expired. Nonetheless, most of those proclamations substantially achieved their goals.”

In ending his petition, Prof Hon makes a strong case for decisive action from the President:
“I conclude by urging Mr. President to order a removal and replacement of all the military commanders in Benue State. If possible, even the ground troops should also be replaced. The way and manner they are operating in the state is clearly unsatisfactory.”