By DAYO ADESULU
The National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Council (NANS JCC), Lagos State, has labeled the recent killings of over 150 Nigerians in Benue State a national scandal and a damning indictment of the government’s failure to protect its citizens.
📌 “Senseless Massacre of Innocents” – NANS Statement
In a statement released Monday and signed by Chairman Abdul‑Raheem Abdul‑Quadri, NANS Lagos described the assault on farmers, traders, women, and children in Guma and surrounding communities as “senseless.” The massacre left entire families wiped out, homes destroyed, and children orphaned, marking a grim stain on the conscience of the nation.
“This carnage … is not only a tragedy, it is a damning indictment on a country that claims to be governed by law.”
⏳ Government Inaction Under Fire: Tinubu & Alia Shamed
🔹 Tinubu’s Delayed Response
NANS JCC Lagos criticized President Bola Tinubu for delaying his visit until five days after the attack. Abdul‑Quadri questioned whether this delay reflected misplaced leadership priorities and a lack of national empathy.
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🔹 Alia’s Silence Echoes Loudly
The student group also faulted Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, noting that as Chief Security Officer, his response “fell far short” and that his silence “has been too loud.”
🛡️ Students Demand Immediate Government Action
✅ Rebuilding with Substance, Not Spectacle
NANS Lagos demands more than a photo-op, urging President Tinubu to visit affected areas with a substantive plan for compensation, rebuilding, and meaningful solidarity.
✅ Judicial Panel of Inquiry
A prompt judicial panel of inquiry is urgently requested, involving civil society and student representatives. The goal: a transparent investigation and accountability for those responsible.
✅ Proactive Rural Security
The group calls for a strategic overhaul of rural security in Benue, emphasizing that “we need boots on the ground before the next attack, not after,” Public Relations Officer Ridwan Ajayi stressed.
💡 Victim Support & Zero Tolerance for Impunity
💰 Urgent Relief and Psychosocial Aid
NANS emphasized the need for both state and federal authorities to provide displaced residents with relief materials, psychosocial support, and rebuilding funds as a humanitarian priority.
⚖️ Arrest & Prosecution of Perpetrators
The group demands the immediate arrest and prosecution of the killers and those who fund them. NANS warned that impunity would embolden further violence.
“No one should be above the law … If these killings go unanswered, we risk normalising barbarism.”
🌍 A Nation at a Crossroads: The Tipping Point
NANS called the Benue massacre part of a dangerous pattern of unchecked violence across Nigeria’s Middle Belt. They warned that the government’s inability to guarantee safety and justice erodes its legitimacy:
“If the government cannot guarantee safety and justice, then it loses its legitimacy.”
🎓 Student Activism: A Final Warning
NANS JCC Lagos issued a clear ultimatum to Nigeria’s political class: empty statements are no longer acceptable.
“The patience of the Nigerian people is wearing thin. You cannot keep issuing empty statements while citizens are buried in mass graves.”
They declared their readiness to mobilize if justice is not swiftly served.
🔎 Key NANS Lagos Demands
| ✅ Demand | 🎯 Purpose |
|---|---|
| Presidential visit with a rebuilding plan | Show genuine solidarity |
| Judicial panel with civil society & students | Ensure accountability |
| Rural Benue security overhaul | Prevent future attacks |
| Victim aid (financial & psychosocial) | Support recovery |
| Arrests and prosecution | End impunity and deter future violence |
📝 Conclusion
NANS Lagos’s powerful condemnation of the Benue massacre is both a rallying cry for justice and a challenge to Nigerian leadership. The organization’s clear demands—about compensation, accountability, security reform, and victim support—highlight a single inescapable truth: words alone are not enough. True leadership requires action.
FAQs:
-
What triggered NANS Lagos’s statement?
The brutal killings of more than 150 people, including women and children, in Benue State on Guma farmlands. -
What criticism did NANS direct at President Tinubu?
That his visit came five days after the massacre, reflecting poor leadership and misplaced priorities. -
What does NANS want from Governor Alia?
To act decisively and break his silence by addressing security lapses as Benue’s Chief Security Officer. -
What immediate actions are NANS demanding?
A meaningful presidential visit, a judicial inquiry, rural security overhaul, victim relief, and prosecutions. -
Why focus on rural security in Benue?
To ensure proactive protection—“boots on the ground”—rather than reactive responses after violence occurs. -
What’s the warning from NANS about impunity?
That without arrests and justice, barbarism may become normalized in Nigeria.
