“Tinubu’s Visit to Benue Was Insensitive and Pointless” Farotimi Slams President Over Ongoing Killings, Insecurity, and Government Failure
Nigerian human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, describing it as an empty political spectacle rather than a meaningful response to the ongoing mass killings, worsening insecurity, and deep-rooted corruption plaguing the nation.
Appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Farotimi said the visit lacked empathy and offered nothing of substance to the grieving people of Benue, where over 200 people have reportedly been slaughtered in the past few months by suspected herdsmen.
“It would have been better if the President didn’t visit at all,” he said. “What Nigerians witnessed was not leadership it was a campaign rehearsal.”
Nigeria: A Country in Crisis
Farotimi’s comments reflect broader frustration in a country where insecurity, corruption, and poor governance have created a climate of fear and hopelessness.
Benue State, once known as the food basket of the nation, has become a killing field. Armed groups continue to ravage farming communities, displacing thousands and destroying livelihoods often without consequence. While the federal government claims to be taking action, there have been few arrests, fewer convictions, and almost no justice for the countless victims of violence.
“The people who are meant to protect us are either compromised or overwhelmed,” Farotimi noted. “And corruption at the highest levels ensures that these killings continue unchecked.”
A Visit That Insulted the Bereaved
Farotimi was especially critical of the red-carpet reception the President received in Benue a state in mourning.
“What kind of leadership visits a grieving state with pomp and political theatre?” he asked. “It was a grotesque display of insensitivity dancing on the graves of Nigerians who have not even been buried.”
He praised Tor Tiv V, James Ayatse, the only voice during the presidential visit who dared to call the violence what it is: a coordinated campaign of genocide and land-grabbing by terrorist herders.
“The Tor Tiv spoke the truth. Everyone else was simply playing politics.”
Corruption Undermining Security Response
Farotimi didn’t stop at criticizing Tinubu’s visit he also called out the corrupt systems that have paralyzed Nigeria’s security architecture.
Despite repeated government budgets and promises to address insecurity, money meant for weapons, training, and intelligence often disappears into private pockets. Nigeria continues to rank among the world’s most corrupt countries, according to Transparency International.
“How can we fight insecurity when the funds to do so are looted?” Farotimi asked. “You cannot win a war when the commanders are stealing from the war chest.”
Nigeria’s Government Losing Moral Legitimacy
Farotimi warned that Nigeria is fast becoming a failed state a country unable to protect its citizens, control its territory, or deliver justice.
“We have almost lost our capacity to be shocked,” he lamented. “When 200 people are massacred, and the President treats it like a campaign stop, we are not far from collapse.”
Conclusion: Empty Speeches Are Not Enough
In the face of mass killings, unchecked corruption, and political negligence, Nigerians are increasingly demanding more than empty words. They want security. They want justice. And above all, they want leaders who will stop using their grief for political theatre.
Until then, visits like Tinubu’s to Benue will be seen not as acts of compassion but as acts of insult.
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