—Warns of looming food crisis, blames presidency’s slow, politicised response By Our Reporter In a blistering condemnation of the worsenin...
—Warns of looming food crisis, blames presidency’s slow, politicised response
By Our Reporter
In a blistering condemnation of the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria, Australia-based Nigerian activist and prominent member of the "Take It Back" Movement, Mr. Adejuwon Akinade, has decried the recent mass killing of over 200 civilians in Yelewata, a farming community in Benue State, North Central Nigeria.
Mr. Akinade, who spoke from Melbourne with Badagry Today in a telephone chat , described the tragedy as yet another devastating example of how the Nigerian government continues to fail in its primary duty of protecting lives and ensuring national security. He accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of trivialising the horrific attack through what he termed a “ceremonial condolence visit” that he said was more political than compassionate.
“We’re talking about over 200 innocent Nigerians murdered in cold blood — mothers, children, farmers — and it took the President days to respond. When he eventually did, it became a stage-managed political show rather than a sober visit to grieve and offer hope,” Akinade said.
The massacre, which occurred in Yelewata, a rural agrarian community once considered part of Nigeria’s food basket, has sent shockwaves through the country. Witnesses reported heavily armed assailants storming the village in the dead of night, killing indiscriminately, razing homes, and displacing hundreds.
Mr. Akinade noted that since the beginning of the Tinubu administration in May 2023, over 10,000 lives have been lost to violent attacks, with the majority occurring in the northern and middle-belt regions.
“It is a national tragedy that so many lives are being cut short, and the government seems more concerned about photo-ops than taking decisive action. What happened in Yelewata is not just a local incident — it is a reflection of the wider insecurity crisis that is threatening to tear this nation apart.”
The activist also raised alarm over the long-term consequences of continued attacks in Benue State, particularly on the country’s food security. Once widely recognised as the "Food Basket of the Nation," Benue has in recent years faced relentless assaults by armed groups, severely disrupting farming activities and forcing thousands of farmers off their lands.
“Every attack on Benue is an attack on Nigeria’s food supply. If this continues, we are looking at a nationwide food crisis,” Akinade warned.
He urged the international community to pay closer attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Nigeria and called on Nigerians, especially the diaspora, to speak out against what he described as “the ongoing genocide in parts of the country.”
Mr. Akinade further demanded an urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, increased support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and independent investigations into the Yelewata killings.
“We can no longer normalize mass murder. We can no longer pretend these victims are mere statistics. Nigeria needs leadership with conscience, courage, and competence — and the people must demand it.”
As condolences continue to pour in, many Nigerians, like Mr. Akinade, are calling for more than words. They want action, justice, and most of all, peace.
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