Human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has asserted that it would have been preferable for President Bola Tinubu not to have visited Benue State at all, rather than to visit and appear "unfeeling towards the plight of its people." Farotimi criticized the President's conduct during his visit following mass killings in the state, suggesting it resembled a "campaign rally" instead of a solemn condolence.
- Farotimi, speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, accused President Tinubu of focusing on optics, stating he "spoke as if he was preparing for a campaign rally."
- He highlighted that the only impactful message during the visit came from the Tor Tiv V, James Ayatse, who described the attacks as a "calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits."
- The activist lambasted the "red-carpet reception" and perceived "theatre for 2027" in a state that should be in mourning for over 200 lives lost.
- Farotimi expressed dismay that "the death of over 200 people did not count much; they were mentioned only in passing," emphasizing that the primary role of the state is to protect citizens' lives and property.
At the heart of Farotimi’s message is a deeper frustration shared by many Nigerians: a state that seems desensitised to mass death. His critique captures a symbolic moment when governance appears more invested in its image than in its people’s grief. As Benue bleeds, the gap between optics and action grows ever wider.
With grief sweeping across the North-Central, Farotimi’s words remind us: the true cost of silence isn’t just measured in blood, it’s in the loss of trust.
