PDP Slams Tinubu Over Benue Massacre, Demands Urgent Action on Insecurity

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the brutal killing of over 200 Nigerians, including children, in Benue State, describing the tragedy as a dark stain on the conscience of the nation and a damning reflection of what it termed the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s failure in governance.

In a statement released on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP expressed deep concern over what it called the “unabated slaughter of innocent citizens” in coordinated attacks across Benue, allegedly carried out by terrorists and bandits without any meaningful resistance from the government.

According to the party, “It is alarming that terrorists and bandits could invade and overrun entire communities in a series of bloody and coordinated attacks, killing hundreds of unarmed Nigerians while the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led APC government remains largely indifferent.”

The statement also accused the federal government of lethargy and alleged complicity in the worsening security situation. “It is clear that the assailants marauding communities in various states are being emboldened by President Tinubu’s lethargic approach to security and the alleged complicity of the APC, which has failed to decisively confront the situation due to its reported connections with terrorist elements,” Ologunagba said.

Describing the killings in Benue as “traumatic and inhumane,” the PDP lamented the circulation of gory images and videos showing civilians murdered in cold blood, as leaders at the helm of affairs appear unmoved.

“President Tinubu should be held accountable for the killings in Nigeria, having not demonstrated the resolve or the sense of urgency expected of a Commander-in-Chief,” the PDP said. “Rather than leading from the front, the President has stayed aloof, issuing weak statements through aides instead of taking visible action to protect the Nigerian people.”

The opposition party further argued that the prevailing insecurity, which it claimed has resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 Nigerians in the last two years, is proof that the APC-led federal government is overwhelmed and incapable of addressing the crisis.

“It is disheartening that while Nigerians are being butchered, the Tinubu administration is more preoccupied with politics and plans for a re-election bid in 2027, leaving the country at the mercy of armed outlaws,” the statement added.

The PDP called on President Tinubu to visit affected communities in Benue State and initiate direct interventions that would stop the killings and restore normalcy. It also urged the President to take full responsibility for securing lives and property across the country, as constitutionally mandated.

Despite its harsh criticisms of the administration, the party praised the Nigerian military and security agencies for their resilience and sacrifices under what it described as an “incompetent Commander-in-Chief.”

“The PDP deeply commiserates with the bereaved families and all victims of the senseless killings in Benue and across Nigeria. We also urge our security agencies not to relent in the difficult but vital task of securing the country from those who seek to tear it apart,” the statement concluded.

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