Human rights advocate and legal practitioner, Dele Farotimi, has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, describing the trip and the president’s speech as disconnected, insensitive, and politically motivated in the face of a grave humanitarian crisis.
Benue, a state renowned for its agricultural productivity in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has been under intensifying attacks by suspected herdsmen, with violence escalating to unprecedented levels in recent weeks. Despite growing national outrage and humanitarian appeals, the killings have persisted.
According to multiple reports, over 160 people have been killed in a string of coordinated attacks within the past two months. In the most recent incident last Friday, suspected herders launched an overnight raid on Yelewata, resulting in the displacement of over 3,000 residents. While official figures placed the death toll at 59, civil rights groups estimate the fatalities could be closer to 200.
Farotimi: Tinubu’s Visit Was a Political Spectacle, Not a Consolatory Mission
Appearing on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief” on Thursday, Farotimi condemned President Tinubu’s conduct during the visit, asserting that the president failed to display empathy or seriousness in addressing the grief and devastation experienced by the people of Benue.
“It would have been better if the President had stayed away altogether,” Farotimi said. “His visit offered no comfort, no real solution only a showcase of political theatre as though he was at a campaign rally.”
The activist took particular issue with the tone of Tinubu’s speech, which he described as tone-deaf and out of touch with the sorrow of the grieving communities. Farotimi said the president’s demeanor suggested he was more interested in preparing for 2027 elections than tackling the widespread insecurity and bloodshed.
“Over 200 people were killed, yet the President’s remarks treated the tragedy as a footnote,” he added. “It was as though they had gone to dance on the graves of those who have not even been properly buried or identified.”
Tor Tiv’s Statement the Only Ray of Truth, Says Farotimi
Farotimi commended Tor Tiv V, Professor James Ayatse, the traditional ruler of the Tiv nation, for his bold and honest remarks during the president’s visit to Makurdi.
The Tor Tiv had described the continued violence in Benue as a deliberate, systematic campaign of genocide and land grabbing, allegedly carried out by herdsmen and armed bandits with apparent impunity.
“The only person who spoke truth to power that day was the Tor Tiv,” Farotimi remarked. “He gave voice to the anguish of the people, outlining the brutal reality in the Benue Valley with clarity and courage.”
A Crisis of Leadership and Accountability
Farotimi went on to decry what he called a complete failure of governance, stating that the primary duty of any government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens, a responsibility the Nigerian state has consistently failed to uphold, especially in rural communities like those in Benue.
“We’ve reached a point where the mass murder of 200 Nigerians no longer shocks us,” he lamented. “This is not just a failure of leadership it is the erosion of our humanity.”
He urged the Nigerian government to refocus its priorities away from political maneuvering and toward meaningful protection of human lives, particularly in regions under constant threat from non-state actors.
Mounting Pressure on Federal Government to Act
President Tinubu’s visit followed weeks of criticism from opposition figures, civil society organisations, and international observers, many of whom accuse the federal government of inaction or complacency in the face of escalating violence in the Middle Belt and other conflict-prone regions.
Although Tinubu, during his visit, reportedly instructed service chiefs to intensify efforts and ensure the arrest of perpetrators, critics like Farotimi argue that such statements have become rhetorical rituals with no measurable outcomes.
As security continues to deteriorate across large swaths of rural Nigeria, voices like Farotimi’s are amplifying a growing public demand for real action, justice for victims, and the restoration of peace and order.
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