Nigerian social critic, VeryDarkMan, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the recent mass killing in Benue State, where over 200 people were reportedly burned alive in an attack by suspected herdsmen in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area.
As reported by NAIJALOG, the horrifying event has drawn international outrage and widespread national reactions. Pope Leo was the first to publicly condemn the attack, calling it a “terrible massacre” and demanding justice for the victims.
In response to the tragedy, President Tinubu advised the Benue State government to engage in dialogue with the perpetrators to restore peace.
However, VeryDarkMan rejected the President’s approach, asserting that the herdsmen wield more power than the government itself. He also accused Nigerian security institutions of being aware of the attackers’ activities but doing little to stop them.
He said, “Even from President Tinubu’s press release, you will know that these herdsmen are not done yet with Benue people. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said they should arrest the suspects and persecute them right? In that same press release he said this is time for Governor Alia to act as a state man and immediately lead the process of dialogue and reconciliation that will bring back peace.
“You want to dialogue with those that are burning people alive, people with barbaric ways. This is to tell you that they are even bigger than the President. That’s just the truth. Don’t let anybody deceive you, and this is not anything about politics or wanting to say negative things about Tinubu’s regime, no. They are way bigger than him, bigger than APC, PDP, and everybody. They are way bigger.
“It will be clowning if the DG of DSS and IG of Police will tell me that they didn’t know what is going on or what has been going on in Benue. It will be clowning if the Chief of Defense Staff, Army Staff will tell me that they don’t know what is going on. The reason why anybody is reacting now is because I have to go to show the video. A lot of you are used to the news of Benue killing. You are already used to the news and that’s what scares me most. The killing of 200 people just passed like that, it didn’t trend and no one talked about it. That’s why I went there, and now everyone is reacting.
“It will be clowning if NSA, police, Army will tell me they don’t know about it. Did you know how those people entered that place? They came with gallons of fuel. When they open the door, they pour the fuel and light it up. So where did all those with gallons of fuel pass through? Not just that, they had AK’s (guns) with them.
“It’s just about protest. Every farmer in Benue needs to go and get a gun with a license. It’s bigger than what the government can come and intervene at this point. Unless Benue people have what to protect themselves with, they can do nothing.”
On Sunday, VeryDarkMan joined youth protesters in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, to demand justice and action for the victims.