Renowned attorney and justice advocate Barrister Aida Nath Ogwuche has sent a passionate open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in response to the growing insecurity in Benue State, urging prompt action to put an end to the ongoing violence tearing through the state’s communities.
Ogwuche wrote in the letter “Benue Is Bleeding” that he was deeply troubled by the constant violent attacks, kidnappings, and murders, particularly in rural farming communities.
These disasters have forced thousands of people from their homes and transformed farmlands into cemeteries, she said. Her request comes after the Yelewata hamlet in Guma Local Government Area was the scene of a particularly horrific attack that is said to have claimed over 200 lives.
Ogwuche warned that Benue, once regarded as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” is now becoming synonymous with violence and despair due to what she termed government inaction and growing lawlessness.
In her words, “The recent wave of violent attacks, kidnappings, and bloodshed has plunged our people into fear, crippling livelihoods and paralyzing the economy of a state largely sustained by farming.”
She urged the President to urgently:
Deploy more security personnel to Benue State.
Collaborate with neighboring states to tighten border security.
Enhance intelligence gathering and community security efforts.
Address the root causes of the violence with sustainable solutions.
Declare a state of emergency in the most affected areas.
Ogwuche concluded with a passionate appeal for the President to act swiftly, stressing that “lives hang in the balance” and that the people of Benue deserve to live in peace and security.
Her letter has since stirred national attention, highlighting the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region and the growing calls for proactive leadership at the federal level.
