Fresh Benue Killings: Obi Condemns Ayilamo Attack, Demands Decisive Action Against Perpetrators

NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned the latest reported attack in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, in which civilians and security personnel were reportedly killed, warning that Nigeria must move beyond counting casualties to taking concrete steps to protect citizens.
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has expressed deep concern over the continuing wave of deadly attacks in Benue State, following reports of another violent incident in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area.
Obi, in a statement reacting to the incident, described the reported killings as saddening and said the recurrence of violence across communities in the state had continued to expose citizens to unacceptable levels of insecurity.
He extended his condolences to the families of those reportedly killed, as well as the people of Logo Local Government Area, saying the pain of repeatedly losing loved ones to violence was difficult to adequately express.
“There are moments when words fail because no words can fully express the pain of losing innocent lives to violence,” Obi said.
The NDC candidate recalled his recent visit to Benue State, where he travelled to sympathise with families and communities affected by the deadly violence in Yelwata.
According to Obi, his attempt to reach the affected community during that visit was disrupted. Rather than discouraging him, however, he said the experience had reinforced his conviction that Nigerians must not become indifferent to the suffering of victims of insecurity.
He maintained that the circumstances surrounding the identity, religion, ethnicity or occupation of victims should not determine the value placed on their lives.
“Whether the victim is a farmer, a child, a police officer, a soldier, a Christian, a Muslim, or a person of any ethnic group, every Nigerian life has equal value,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor argued that the country’s security challenge should not be approached merely through reactions after attacks have occurred. He called for stronger preventive measures capable of identifying and stopping threats before they result in loss of lives.
“We must stop counting our dead and start protecting our living,” Obi said.
He consequently called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently investigate the Ayilamo incident, identify and apprehend those responsible, and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Beyond prosecuting perpetrators, Obi urged the authorities to address the wider security conditions that have allowed attacks on vulnerable communities to recur.
The latest incident comes amid continuing concerns over violence and attacks affecting communities in Benue State. The state has in recent times witnessed deadly incidents that have generated renewed calls for improved security, protection of rural communities and more effective responses to threats against farmers and other residents.
For Obi, the repeated loss of lives should serve as a warning that security must remain one of the country’s foremost national priorities.
“Nigeria cannot continue on this path,” he said, urging the Federal Government and security agencies to act decisively to prevent further killings.
He also called for greater attention to the families and communities left behind after attacks, stressing the need for government and relevant institutions to provide appropriate support to victims and survivors.
Obi said the tragedy should not be reduced to statistics, noting that every casualty represents a family and community forced to cope with grief, displacement and uncertainty.
He expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayed that God would comfort them, receive the souls of those who died and grant the nation the wisdom and courage required to confront insecurity.
“A nation that cannot protect the lives of its citizens has a duty to ask itself some very difficult questions,” he said. “We must do better. We must secure Nigeria.”
He ended his message with the political slogan associated with his 2027 presidential campaign: “A new Nigeria is POssible.