By John Alechenu, Abuja

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has blamed the recent massacre of over 200 people in Benue State on leadership failure, describing the tragedy as “a stain on our collective conscience.”

In a statement posted on his verified X handle Sunday, Obi decried the killings—reportedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen—as a national emergency.

“My heart is heavy as I learn of yet another horrific series of killings in Benue—women, children, soldiers, displaced persons—all senselessly slain,” Obi said. “This is not merely violence; it is a failure of leadership.”

He stressed that the primary duty of government at all levels is the protection of lives and property, warning against the growing normalisation of mass killings across Nigeria.

“To the people of Benue, your pain is our pain. The blood of your loved ones cries out for justice,” he said. “A secure Benue is not too much to ask—it is our moral and national duty.”

Obi urged authorities to go beyond symbolic gestures and take urgent, decisive action to end the violence, restore security, and uphold the value of every Nigerian life.