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.
The Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has acknowledged growing complexities in the effort to revamp Nigeria’s state-owned refineries.
Although the Port Harcourt refinery began processing crude oil again on November 26, it was later shut down in May for maintenance.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation work is still ongoing at the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the 9th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, Austria, Ojulari said NNPC is in the process of reassessing its refinery strategies, with plans to conclude the review by the end of the year.
“So refineries, we made quite a lot of investment over the last several years and brought in a lot of technologies. We’ve been challenged,” he said.
“Some of those technologies have not worked as we expected so far. But also, as you know, when you’re refining a very old refinery that has been abandoned for some time, what we’re finding is that it’s becoming a little bit more complicated.
“So we’re reviewing all our refinery strategies now. We hope before the end of the year, we’ll be able to conclude that review. That review may lead to us doing things slightly differently.”
When asked whether the review could result in selling the refineries, Ojulari said a sale remains a possibility.
“But what we’re saying is that sale is not out of the question. All the options are on the table, to be frank, but that decision will be based on the outcome of the reviews we’re doing now,” he said.
Ojulari also addressed the cost of oil production in Nigeria, stating that operating expenses range between $20 and $30 per barrel.
“For the cost of crude production, there’s a capital cost and there are the operating costs,” he said.
“The operating cost right now in Nigeria is hovering over $20 per barrel, which is quite high.
“Part of that is because of the investment we’ve had to make in terms of security of our pipelines, which as you know, today we have 100 percent availability of our pipelines. That came out of significant investment.
“So we believe with time, with stability, that cost will start going down, but for now it’s somewhere between $25 and $30 a barrel.”
Looking ahead, Ojulari said NNPC aims to increase Nigeria’s oil output to 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of the year.
By Eric Elezuo
A group, Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR), has called on the governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji, and other well meaning Nigerians, to come to the aid of a female inmate at the Ibara Custodial Centre, Rashidat Abdul, who is reported to be in critical health condition, and needs urgent medical attention.
The deteriorating health of the said inmate, was reported by officers at the Custodial Centre to the Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR), a grassroots organization focusing on human rights and access to justice for those deprived of their rights on death row and in detention.
Speaking with The Boss, the Coordinator of the group, Hezekiah Deboboye Olujobi said, “Upon seeing the woman’s health condition during our visit to Ibara, we pleaded that she be transferred to a hospital where she could receive the necessary medical care. Despite concerns about the financial burden, we took this step of faith to save her life. She is now admitted to Ogun State Hospital, Abeokuta.”
Narrating the genesis of the inmate’s ordeal, Olujobi added that “Rashidat Abdul was sentenced to death by the Ado Ekiti State High Court. She appealed the judgment, but her appeal was unsuccessful. The court convicted the entire family based solely on the testimony of one individual relying on third-party information, without the presence of the alleged witness in court. It is also important to note that her son had just sat for his WAEC examination before their arrest.
“We submitted appeals to the Ekiti State Board of Mercy in September last year and again in March 2025, but these pleas have yet to receive the attention of the Ekiti State Governor. We have conducted a thorough review of the court records, including the brief of argument before the Court of Appeal, and we can see the innocence of this woman and her husband. While the appeal is still pending before the Supreme Court, we are appealing to the human and Christian conscience of the Attorney General of Ekiti State, Hon. Dayo Apata, to look into this case. God delights in true justice and mercy; God hates oppression, so must we.
“The critical state of this woman’s health calls for urgent attention from concerned individuals in Nigeria and abroad. The officer in the prison maintains transparency in this matter, and we are committed to doing the same.
“This morning, 9/7/2025, I received a message from the officer informing us that the funds we deposited have been exhausted. There is an urgent need to purchase injections costing ₦10,000 each daily, conduct X-rays and a series of tests from time to time, engage a caregiver and physiotherapist, provide feeding, and buy supplements to aid her recovery. Additionally, payment for the hospital bed space is required, along with a stipend for transportation for the security personnel on guard and other logistics.”
The group therefore, is appealing to the governor of Ekiti State, Oyebanji and other well meaning Nigerians to come to the woman’s aid so as to preserve her life.
“We kindly ask for your support to respond to this urgent call. Although Rashidat is a Muslim, our service to humanity transcends religion.
“We understand that some who have been deceived in the past may find it difficult to trust those genuinely committed to serving others, and those involved in fraudulent activities may be reluctant to support genuine efforts.
“However, this is the very mission our Lord Jesus Christ has called us to fulfill. We earnestly seek your support.
“Thank you for your kindness and generosity,” Olujobi pleaded on behalf of Rashidat and the group.
For donations and more information, please visit the website: [https://www.cjmr.com.ng](https://www.cjmr.com.ng)
Account Details:
Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation
Zenith Bank
Account Number: 1012189729
Phone: 08030488093
During the price hike, marketers stated that the product was sold at N960 and N980 in the far north because of the distance.
However, as crude prices fell below $70 last week, the pump prices of PMS also declined. Crude prices had crashed because Israel and Iran stopped bombing each other, alleviating fears of a supply disruption in the Middle East.
As of Tuesday, many filling stations sold petrol below N900 per litre in Lagos and Ogun States.
PUNCH Online reports that the filling stations sold petrol at rates ranging from N875 to N890 a litre.
A marginal drop is expected in the price of the product at the pumps.
