The rising number of ‘peacetime’ deaths in Nigeria, which is dwarfing the number of deaths recorded in war zones, defines the premium that Nigerian authorities place on human lives. As lives increasingly become cheap in the country, loss of faith in the government, erosion of public trust, negative economic consequences and weakening of state authority are becoming commonplace. ENO-ABASI SUNDAY writes that this calls for introspection and renewed fidelity to constitutional provisions and avowed commitment to the oath of office of elected political leaders.

The din generated by the massacre of over 200 innocent residents of Yelwata in Guma Local Council of Benue State is yet to abate, but the chances that the cold-blooded mass murder would occur again are far higher than the chances that it would not occur again.

This explains why survivors are not chest-thumping for their lucky escape; instead, they are highly suspicious of every passing human because they do not know when the blood-thirsty vermin would come for their heads.

This is how uncertain and brutish life has become in Benue State, and indeed in very many parts of the country. The latest blood-chilling operations carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen are an all-too-familiar scenario, not just in Benue State, but in many parts of the country, including Kaduna, Katsina, Bornu, Zamfara, Yobe, Imo, and Anambra, where spilling of blood has become routine in the last decade and a half or thereabouts.

Be it death arising from the activities of alleged Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram insurgents, bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers, floods and secessionists in the South-East, Nigeria is daily transitioning into a killing field where daily gruesome scenes are becoming normal, and humanity is disappearing at breakneck speed.

Sights of blood, cracked skulls, shattered limbs, and dismembered or mangled bodies are now spectacles recorded with mobile phones in many states.

The latest mindless killing, which took place between Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14, 2025, is one of the deadliest attacks that has confirmed the federal government’s failure in its prime responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.

According to SBM Intelligence, between January and March 2025 alone, at least 2,000 Nigerians were killed in violent incidents across the country. While also explaining that the pattern of violence in the Middle Belt has created a devastating humanitarian crisis that has largely been ignored by the government, the SBM, in a March 2025 report, emphasised that conflict in the area has displaced over 2.2 million people in seven years.

On its part, Amnesty International, in a report it made public in May 2025, claimed that in two years, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration has witnessed the killing of at least 10,217 people in violent attacks across several states, with Benue accounting for 6,896 deaths.

The spectre of insecurity in the country in the last decade and a half has loomed so large that sane minds are questioning the primacy of government in the country, as well as strategies adopted by present and past governments in combating the evolution of a full-blown killing field.

Section 33(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), 1999, provides that “every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.”

Furthermore, Chapter II of the 1999 constitution (as amended) under the heading, “Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy,” further clarifies what the primary functions of government are. However, reading Sub-section 2 (b) in isolation may not explain the full import of what it implies, but the picture becomes clearer when the entire sub-section is read. It goes thus: “(a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority; (b) the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, and (c) the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.”

As the value of human life continues to depreciate in the country, international organisations as well as religious and political leaders are drawing Nigeria’s attention to the festering sore. They also want the federal government to move swiftly to end the international disgrace.

The United Nations, which expressed worry over the situation in the country, specifically said that it is monitoring the situation, especially the Benue massacre.

Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, wrote: “We’re monitoring the situation,” adding: “The Secretary-General condemns the killing of innocent civilians, including in Nigeria, and we hope that those responsible for this violence will be found and apprehended.”

On its part, Amnesty International, in a strongly-worded statement, said: “The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelwata from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday shows the security measures the government claims to be implementing in the state are not working.”

“The Nigerian authorities must immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue State and bring the actual perpetrators to justice,” it added. A concerned Catholic Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, in an emotional address on Sunday, expressed solidarity with the victims of the latest attack in the country.

Speaking shortly before the Angelus prayer at the Vatican, he said: “I am thinking especially of the rural Christian communities of Benue State, who have been relentless victims of violence,” as he led prayers for “security, justice, and peace” in Nigeria.

Handling security with kid gloves
FOR eight years, Gen Muhammadu Buhari held a groundswell of high-powered security meetings with service chiefs and changed security chiefs the number of times that he wanted, but at the end of the day, very little was achieved from such meetings and changes.

Within the eight years that Buhari was in office, data obtained from the Nigeria Security Tracker, NST, a project of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Africa programme, claimed that 63,111 Nigerians were killed (approximately 21 deaths daily) arising from herder/farmer clashes, terrorism, banditry, extra-judicial killings, communal crises, cult clashes, among others.

Under Buhari, matters got so bad that an inspector general of police defied his order to relocate to Benue State and find a lasting solution to the menace.

With figures released by different civil society and intelligence groups, as well as the spate of killings across the board, many fear that President Tinubu could rival or outpace Buhari when it comes to who superintended over a higher number of peacetime killings.

The Benue massacre is coming on the heels of recent floods that swept through Mokwa Community in Mokwa Local Council of Niger State. Governor Umaru Bago, who spoke at the peak of the flood said: “So far, 207 people have been confirmed dead, and over 700 persons are still missing. We are yet to know where they are. The flooding has caused extensive damage to lives and property,” while more than 3,000 households were displaced.

By August this year, it will be four years since the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) introduced its sit-at-home order across the South-East. Apart from the economy of the area, which is bleeding profusely, having lost billions of naira thus far, Nigeria has lost more than 700 persons to sit-at-home-related violence since 2021.

According to a newly released report by SBM Intelligence, “More than 700 people have reportedly been killed in IPOB-related violence between 2021 and 2025,” the report noted. Imo State recorded the highest number of incidents and fatalities, while Ebonyi recorded the lowest.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) (as of December 2023) identified a total of 1,092,196 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 183,437 households across Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara states. Between then and now, worsening insecurity, experts say, has ballooned the figure of IDPs further.

Besides these violent attacks across the country destroying lives in their prime, adding to the 133 million Nigerians, who are multi-dimensionally poor, they also exacerbate dire humanitarian situations for the living through the increased number of IDPs. For instance, after the Yelwata attack, the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) said that over 3,000 IDPs poured into Nasarawa camps.

The Director-General of NASEMA, Benjamin Akwas, disclosed that over 3,000 IDPs are currently housed in four camps across Nasarawa State following the massacre of over 200 people in Yelwata, a border town between Benue and Nasarawa States.

Akwas, who confirmed that the IDPs are spread across camps in Kadarko, Agyaragu, Idadu, and Kpata, revealed that 462 IDPs are sheltering in Idadu and 521 in Kpata, both in Doma Local Council, while over 1,800 are taking refuge at St John Primary School, Agyaragu, in Lafia Local Council. An additional 40 IDPs are in Kadarko, Keana Local Council.

The DG stated that the agency had distributed food and non-food items to over 1,000 Tiv farmers at the Kadarko camp a day before the Yelwata attack.
He added, “The agency is currently conducting a headcount of IDPs to finalise plans for reaching out to displaced residents in the four camps following Saturday’s attack on Yelwata.” He acknowledged a surge in displaced persons since the attack and urged them to remain calm.

For a legal practitioner, Abasumo Ekong Bassey: The recent massacre of innocent Nigerians in Benue State is neither an isolated event nor an exception. Every day, innocent lives are being lost needlessly. We don’t hear about them except when we are connected to the victims in one way or the other. A tenant of mine (in company with his friend) who went to take delivery of a car in Lagos, disappeared somewhere in Owerri a month ago; his despondent family is yet to hear from him. I personally suspect the young men are no more. The Benue incident is heartbreaking and reflects yet again the helplessness of the government and its security apparatus. Section 14 (2) (b) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 states that “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“Our governments at all levels have failed us in this regard. The blood of the innocent ones in Benue, Kaduna, Imo State and untold locations where evil is being perpetrated due to the government’s ineptitude cries out for redress, for justice, and for rectitude,” he stated.
Slow response time, lack of political will reflect worsening value of lives

BARELY 24 hours after the Air India aircraft crashed and sent over 268 Indians, Portuguese, Canadians and British nationals to their early graves, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was at the site of the crash.

“The scene of devastation is saddening,” Modi said in a post on X after visiting the crash site, adding, “Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy.”

On several occasions, American presidents (both past and current) have cancelled schedules and made immediate detours to visit locations where lives were lost in a brazen manner. These are climes where citizens’ lives mean a lot and human capital is coveted.

But that is not always the case in Nigeria. Indeed, most times, loads of criticisms must be raised before sitting presidents make up their minds to visit scenes where their citizens’ lives were snuffed out, even when the government is the one that has failed to protect their lives and property.

President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Benue State, on Wednesday took a similar pattern. It came on the fifth day after the incident, and opposition leaders have accused him of a delayed response to the killings, as his office issued a statement over 24 hours after the attack.

Ekong Bassey thinks the government has no regard for the lives of its citizens, judging by present and past conduct. He said: “The government has shown that it has absolutely no regard for human lives and the security of property. This is very sad, especially considering that a previously well-acknowledged pro-democracy and human rights advocate sits at the helm of executive authority. Corruption, protection of the assets of politically exposed persons (including livestock), 2027 election grandstanding, emasculation of the police, and other security apparatuses by the high and mighty have all taken primacy over the protection of lives and the security of the average citizen of such a potentially great Country. We weep for Nigeria!”

To reverse the trend, Bassey insists that governments at whatever level must be held accountable for failure to live up to their oath of office. “As mentioned earlier, Section 14(2) (b) gives us the latitude to hold the government accountable for every security lapse. That these failures occur almost daily without letup, and in a situation where service chiefs have remained at their positions since the inception of this government, shows the weakness of the government and the helplessness of the people it was elected to protect. Meanwhile, we are spending billions setting up useless and duplicated agencies, padding budgets and treating mind-boggling corruption with kid gloves. If the trend of large-scale and genocidal killings continues, the government should not be surprised if the people resort to self-help.”

‘Rise in peacetime killing fraught with dire implications’
A retired security personnel, who asked not to be named, told The Guardian that political leaders everywhere in the world know that a rise in peacetime killings has serious implications for the country’s social, political, and economic stability.

According to him, one of the first implications is the erosion of public trust and social cohesion. “Increased violence can undermine trust between communities and between citizens and authorities, fostering a palpable climate of fear, suspicion, and division. Need I add that no development will be seen here?

“Rising killings lead to loss of lives, injuries, trauma, and displacement of communities, creating a humanitarian crisis that strains resources of the state and interest groups. To a reasonable extent, killings by unauthorised persons effectively weaken the authority of the state as persistent violence can challenge the capacity of government institutions to enforce law and order, potentially encouraging further unrest or criminal activities.

“On the economic plane, violence disrupts economic activities, discourages investment, tourism, and agricultural productivity, which are vital sectors in any country’s economy. Rising killings can escalate tensions between ethnic, religious, or political groups, risking broader instability, protests, or conflicts.”

While continued violence is very likely to attract international concern, and dampen the country’s image globally, thereby leading to possible diplomatic or aid interventions, the proliferation of violence, he stressed, “complicates efforts towards sustainable peace, reconciliation, and long-term development, requiring more intensive and prolonged conflict resolution strategies.”

Normalisation of violence draining Nigerians emotionally, devaluing lives
THE federal government’s failure to end needless killings has significantly devalued human life in several ways, including draining them of emotions, says Osaro Imasuen, a sociologist.

“Persistent and unceasing violence often leads to the perception that such killings are inevitable or part of daily life, diminishing the perceived sanctity of human life. Children born into these kinds of environments could be maladjusted, while adults can be drained of emotions.

“Additionally, when violence is not adequately addressed, it can lead to a societal desensitisation, where loss of life is regarded with indifference rather than outrage or mourning. Inconsistent or ineffective responses to violence also undermine respect for legal institutions, eroding the perception that human life is protected and valued under the law,” he stated.

According to Imasuen, matters are made worse when perpetrators of violence are not held accountable. This failure fosters a culture of impunity, signalling that violence carries little consequence and devalues human dignity. Furthermore, continuous violence can foster fear, trauma, and despair among the population, reinforcing the idea that life can be easily taken or disregarded.

Since the devaluation of human life can influence societal attitudes among youth, perpetuating cycles of violence and reducing the importance placed on human safety and dignity, Imasuen said the government’s incompetence in handling violent crimes can bequeath to Nigeria an emotionally bankrupt generation.

Equally painting a pathetic picture of the state of affairs in the country is Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF), which is saddened that Nigerians of all walks of life are faced with bedlam due to the government’s alleged incompetence.

“We are sad not for ourselves, but for the helpless masses who, through no fault of theirs, have an incompetent government that does not face the prevalence of insecurity and incessant killings nationwide, but constantly pours out words that it does not mean.”

According to the President of YRLF, Mr Akin Malaolu: “The bloodbath in Benue, Plateau and other states is very concerning. That President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited Benue State for condolences doesn’t mean that he, as the commander-in-chief, surely or properly understands the precarious conditions of his own incompetence and that of his several appointees to stem insecurity that has placed food security for the sustainability of life in Nigeria in the opposite direction. Praising security agents for a job well done was a perplexing error during his condolence visit to Benue State. It does show that the commander-in-chief places a very low value on the losses of human lives.

“The whole essence of forming a government, which was, and is, the property of the people, is to secure lives and property. President Tinubu should remember that he is the head of the sovereign and the commander-in-chief, who has the responsibility to see beyond non-state actors and curtail their excesses and lust for bloodletting. He must not be overwhelmed, nor play ignorance on a matter so important as securing the lives of our people. We must warn that rural areas all over the world must have peace to ensure food security for the general masses. The President of Nigeria should not pretend not to know this fact.”

Govt fails to inspire confidence
DURING his Wednesday visit to Benue, Tinubu told the people his government will end the bloodshed. He thereafter wrote on his X handle: “We will restore peace, rebuild, and bring the perpetrators to justice. You are not alone.”

But many don’t believe him. One group that does not, the New Nigeria People’s Party, described the administration’s response as “lukewarm, insensitive”, and lacking “basic human empathy.”

“This is a horrifying act of mass murder. Over 200 innocent Nigerians were slaughtered and property destroyed without provocation. What’s worse, it took the Federal Government days to meaningfully intervene,” NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, said.

Several others, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, both presidential candidates in the last general elections, have also faulted the government.