Benue massacre: Peter Obi slams Tinubu, Alia over insensitivity to situation

Benue massacre: Peter Obi slams Tinubu, Alia over insensitivity to situation

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, has criticised Benue State Governor Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia and President Bola Tinubu for their apparent insensitivity to the catastrophe that befell the people of Benue State.

Following the slaughter of almost 200 people by alleged armed herdsmen, President Tinubu visited Benue yesterday to offer condolences.

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However, Peter Obi expressed regret that the president and his host decided to use the condolence visit as a campaign rally rather than considering the grave obligation of grieving with the assault victims.

In a post captioned “What has happened to our compassion as a people?” on his X handle, the former Anambra State Governor said, “We pleaded that the president should show leadership and visit Benue and Niger States in the spirit of deep national mourning to offer compassion and solidarity to families torn apart by the senseless massacre of over 200 innocent Nigerians in Benue State and flooding that killed a similar number in Niger State.

“But what we saw in the Benue visit was, instead of a solemn, reflective visit, a display that would have been more befitting for the commissioning of the reconstructed Enugu-Makurdi highway, a critical road connecting South and Northern Nigeria that had become impassable for years.

“The president arrived not in mourning cloth but in celebratory agbada attire, like it was an occasion for joy.

“Even more heartbreaking is the role of the state. Rather than being in a mourning mood and weeping, they declared a public holiday, not for reflection or prayer, but to organise fanfare.

“Schools were shut down. Children who should be mourning their slaughtered classmates and parents were instead lined up under the rain, rehearsed to sing and dance for the president. In what kind of country does this happen?

“We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals. A time that should be marked by silence and solemnity is now polluted by banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles.

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