Metro
Benue Massacre: NOMA Demands Urgent Security Action, Justice for Victims
The Nigeria Online Media Alliance (NOMA) has condemned in strong terms, the recent brutal killings in Yelwata, Benue State and other North Central towns, where dozens of innocent civilians have been slaughtered in unprovoked attacks.
The tragic incidents through deadly attacks on villages and an ambush on commuters, underscore the seeming failure of the security architecture to protect lives and properties; making the villages vulnerable to such insipid attacks im the Middle Belt.
For over a decade, communities within the North Central region have been turned into slaughtering battlegrounds, leading to the killings of thousands of people, with the recent one becoming a slap on the wrist despite the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Olufemi Oluyede, relocating to Benue state with a view to forestalling further killings.
The attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani herders and terrorists, have rendered many people homeless thereby increasing the number of refugees in their own communities.
Homes, farms, and schools have become targets. The frequency and ferocity of these attacks demand more than routine condemnation –they require urgent, strategic, and accountable government’s response.
In a press statement released and signed by NOMA’s Public Relations Officer, Oluwamuyiwa Oyedele, the Chairperson of the association, Moses Theresa, other members join the voices of affected families and concerned Nigerians in calling for a complete overhaul of current security approaches in Benue and other vulnerable regions. It is no longer enough to deploy troops without sustainable engagement with local communities.
Rather, a workable security strategy that will bring the terrorists to their kneels, such that would thwart every attempt to instigate another bloody attack in Benue state and in other regions, must be fashioned out.
As the President is paying a visit on Wednesday, 18th June, 2025, as a sign of leadership and to empathize with the affected communities, let such proactive engagement bring about measures to address the root causes of insecurity that will ultimately galvanize fostering sustainable and permanent solutions to the spiralling killings of innocent Nigerians.
Therefore, at NOMA, we urge President Bola Tinubu, Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, the Service Chiefs (Army, Navy and Airforce), the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire Intelligence community to prioritize intelligence-led kinetic and non-kinetic approach to rout the killers and frustrate further attacks.
By so doing, it is only when the killers are arrested and maximally punished that there will be justice for the victims, which will culminate into long-term peacebuilding measures.
With the President’s intention to hold stakeholders’ meeting during his visit, further dialogue and equitable resource allocation are options that could bring peace and tranquility; not only to the North Central region, but other troubled parts of the country where security seems to have slumped.
Once again, the killings in Benue are not isolated—they are symptomatic of a national crisis that must be addressed with political will, urgency, and empathy. NOMA stands ready to amplify these calls for justice and accountability until lasting peace is restored.
Without peace, justice and equity, no nation can develop politically, economically and otherwise to meet the daily needs of the citizenry, thereby opening its frontiers for foreign investors and economic emancipation.
Lastly, just as the IGP Egbetokun rightly said during his visit, “a day will come when these bandits would come to operate as they used to, they will not return; that day is drawing nearer and I can assure you that we are committed to this battle and will win,” it’s high time all manners of attacks are obliterated from North Central Nigerian states of Plateau, Kaduna, Bauchi, Taraba and Benue.
As these killings by militias, fulani herders have gone on for several years, and are increasing in frequency, let’s use Yelwata as a bus stop to end every form of attacks that have despatched thousands of Nigerians to their premature graves.
Nigeria is not a slaughter’s slab. The time is now to end this circle of mindless, insensitive and uncanny killings.
Justice Musa Umar of the Federal High Court Abuja, on Monday, rejected an application by the Federal government to have Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan arrested for failing to appear for the start of her defamation trial.
The government is prosecuting Akpoti-Uduaghan on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello.
At the day’s proceeding, the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, told the court that the matter was for arraignment but that the defendant was not in court.
Kaswe told the court that he served the charge on the defendant’s counsel which meant that the defendant was well aware of the matter.
The prosecutor prayed the court for a bench warrant to be issued against the defendant for failing to appear in court despite being aware of the charge against her.
“It was this morning that we were able to serve the defendant through her counsel but the defendant is not in court.
“So, it means the defendant is aware of this matter but decided not to appear in court, in the light of this, I apply that a bench warrant be issued against her for failure to attend court to take her plea in this criminal charge,” Kaswe said.
Counsel for Akpoti-Uduaghan, Jacob Usman (SAN), told the court that he found the application of the prosecution strange and uncourteous.
Usman told the court that when he got wind of the pendency of the suit, he called the prosecutor to let him know that his client had asked him to receive the charge on her behalf.
“I was served the charge at 9:15am this morning here in court so how will the defendant know that the matter is coming up when she has not seen the charge?
“I find the application strange and it should be dishonoured, if the defendant has not been served, she cannot be in court,” he said.
He prayed the court to dis-countenance the application as it was made in bad taste.
The trial judge, Justice Musa Umar, asked the prosecutor if he had served the charge on the defendant to which he answered in the negative.
Justice Umar, therefore, said that it was impossible to grant the application of the prosecutor and issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the defendant when she had not been served.
He refused the application for a bench warrant and rather granted the application for substituted service through her counsel which the prosecutor made in what seemed to be an afterthought.
The judge adjourned the matter to June 30, 2025 for arraignment.
The case was not unconnected to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged defamatory comments made during a live television appearance on April 3, 2025.
She allegedly made defamatory comments against Akpabio and Bello including a plot to assassinate her.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has announced an extension of the grace period for the enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit requirement until August 12, 2025.
The decision comes as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) actively works to refine and improve its digital application process for the permits.
According to Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, the extension was a direct response to numerous concerns and feedback received from the public regarding the reactivation of the digital Tinted Glass Permit application.
“In line with our commitment to delivering transparent, inclusive, and citizen-focused policing, the Force wishes to affirm that it has not ignored the voices of Nigerians,” Adejobi stated.
“Rather, these voices have been instrumental in guiding ongoing reviews of the process to ensure it remains user-friendly, secure, and accessible to all.”
“The extension of enforcement is also intended to give room for additional enhancements and refinements to the application process, ensuring that no member of the public is unduly disadvantaged.
“The NPF is actively working to simplify and improve both the physical and contactless application options including enhanced verification mechanisms and streamlined procedures to reduce delays and eliminate undue inconveniences.
“Members of the public are reminded that the authorized platform for the application and renewal of the Tinted Glass Permit is accessible via http://www.possap.gov.ng.
The Lagos State Government has issued a strong advisory to residents to remain on high alert as forecasts indicate the likelihood of intense rainfall and flash floods across several parts of the state in the coming days.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the government explained that recent geostationary imagery from its weather monitoring stations showed a disturbing build-up of thunderstorms and widespread convective rainfall, accompanied by thick cloud cover.
This development, he said, signaled a high probability of heavy downpours and sudden flooding in various communities.
The warning is particularly directed at residents living in low-lying areas and communities close to rivers and lagoons, where the risk of flash floods and strong water currents is significantly heightened.
The advisory also reiterated the danger faced by motorists and pedestrians who attempt to navigate flooded streets, warning that vehicles could be submerged and lives endangered by fast-moving water.
Wahab urged residents without pressing outdoor engagements to remain indoors during the rains to minimise exposure to potentially hazardous conditions.
He also called on parents and guardians to closely supervise their children, especially during the ongoing mid-term break, stressing the dangers of playing in the rain or attempting to swim in floodwaters.
As a coastal State, Lagos is particularly vulnerable to tidal locks during heavy rainfall, a phenomenon that prevents efficient discharge of storm water into the lagoon and often leads to backflow and flooding.
The government further cautioned against the indiscriminate disposal of waste into drainage systems during rainfall, noting that such actions are a key contributor to blocked drains and exacerbated flood risks.
While ongoing drainage maintenance and cleaning efforts continue year-round, the government emphasised that unusually heavy rainfall requires the cooperation of all residents to minimise its impact and keep the environment safe.
NAN
