Peter Obi Commends Tinubu for Humanitarian Visit to Benue Massacre Scene

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his decision to visit Benue State, following the brutal killing of over 150 people in the Yelewata community by suspected armed herders.

In a statement shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi described Tinubu’s planned visit as “refreshing news,” adding that such a gesture demonstrates compassion and attentiveness to the suffering of the Nigerian people.

The former Anambra governor had previously criticized the President for a perceived lack of visible leadership and slow response to violent tragedies affecting civilians.

“It was refreshing news yesterday that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally decided to visit the scene of the brutal killings in Benue State. For this, I thank him. It is a step in the right direction,” Obi said.

The massacre in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, occurred over the weekend, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief. Local authorities and survivors reported that over 150 villagers were killed, with dozens more injured, hundreds of homes razed, and scores of residents forced to flee for safety.

The attack is one of the deadliest incidents of rural violence in the state’s recent history.

The wave of killings has reignited concerns over the persistent clashes between herders and farming communities in the North-Central region, which have claimed thousands of lives in the past decade.

President Tinubu is expected to visit the affected communities on Wednesday, June 18, after postponing a previously scheduled trip to Kaduna.

According to a statement from the Presidency, the visit will allow Tinubu to assess the situation firsthand, console grieving families, and reinforce the federal government’s commitment to restoring peace in the area.

Tinubu has also directed security agencies to intensify manhunt for the perpetrators, calling the killings a “senseless bloodbath that must not go unpunished.”

While commending the President’s move, Peter Obi urged him to extend similar visits to other crisis-hit states, including Niger State, where devastating floods recently claimed over 200 lives.

“While commending this action, I still call on him to extend the same gesture to other scenes of crises like Niger State, where lives have also been lost due to flooding. Leadership must be seen and felt at times like this.”

Obi emphasized the need for Nigerian leaders to exhibit not just authority, but also human compassion in the face of national tragedies.

“Competence, capacity, character, and compassion must be the hallmarks of any leadership that seeks to be effective and impactful in a multi-ethnic and diverse country like Nigeria.”

Obi’s remarks come amid growing national frustration over persistent insecurity, especially in the Middle Belt and northern states. Rights activists and community leaders have urged the federal government to go beyond visits and launch long-term security reforms, including better policing, intelligence gathering, and addressing root causes like land disputes and weak rural governance.

President Tinubu’s upcoming visit to Benue is expected to be closely watched, not just for what he says, but for the actions that follow in restoring security and rebuilding trust in one of Nigeria’s most volatile regions.