A prominent civic advocacy group, Citizen Monitors, has fiercely criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s response to the recent massacre in Benue State, where dozens of civilians were reportedly killed in their sleep during another round of brutal violence.
In a strongly worded statement issued Tuesday, the group described the President’s reaction as “tone-deaf, equivocal, and devoid of empathy,” accusing the administration of political deflection and failure to act decisively in the face of a humanitarian crisis.
“The nation expected moral clarity and urgent action. Instead, we received a generic statement marked by false equivalence, political deflection, and a dangerous lack of empathy,” said Olajumoke Alawode-James, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for Citizen Monitors.
The President’s Reaction Under Fire
Following the attacks, which left scores of civilians dead in their sleep in yet another reprisal killing, President Tinubu directed security chiefs to implement prior orders to restore peace in Benue and urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to initiate reconciliation meetings among warring factions. The directive, delivered by his media aide Bayo Onanuga, emphasized restraint and unity, calling on political and community leaders to avoid inflammatory rhetoric.
But Citizen Monitors say the government’s framing of the crisis as a “conflict with sides” dangerously misrepresents the reality on the ground.
“To call this a ‘conflict with sides’ is a grave mischaracterisation. Civilians — many already displaced — were butchered in their sleep. This is not a time for balance. It is a time for accountability,” the group stated.
Demanding Justice, Not Diplomacy
The group, known for its grassroots monitoring and civil engagement efforts, challenged the federal government to name the actors involved, pursue swift justice, and stop minimizing the tragedy.
“Who are these ‘sides’? Name them. Where is the justice for the dead? What does a Wednesday visit accomplish after yet another preventable bloodbath?” the group asked pointedly.
President Tinubu is scheduled to visit Benue on Wednesday, June 18, adjusting his itinerary to demonstrate concern for the crisis-ridden state. However, Citizen Monitors views the planned visit as symbolic at best, and insufficient to address the scale of loss or restore public confidence.
Calls for Leadership or Resignation
In a final rebuke, the group demanded an immediate retraction of what it termed a “misleading and insensitive” statement from the presidency and called on the government to own up to its failure.
“Leadership must begin with truth. And the truth is that this massacre happened on the government’s watch,” said Alawode-James. “If the current leadership cannot acknowledge that — or take swift, unambiguous action — then it is time for that leadership to step aside.”
Context: A Region Under Siege
Benue State has been a flashpoint of communal violence, banditry, and herder-farmer clashes for years, with repeated massacres drawing national and international condemnation. Despite multiple security deployments and reconciliation attempts, the cycle of violence has persisted—raising questions about the federal government’s political will, security capacity, and commitment to justice.
