Benue Killings: Senior Advocate Petitions Tinubu to Declare Military Emergency in Benue State

Benue Killings: Senior Advocate Petitions Tinubu to Declare Military Emergency in Benue State

 A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Sebastine T. Hon, has written an impassioned petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling for the immediate declaration of a state of military emergency in Benue State following a spike in deadly attacks across the state.

In the lengthy petition addressed to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prof. Hon expressed grave concern over what he described as a “rapidly deteriorating security situation” in Benue, blaming both the state government and the military high command for inaction and complicity.

Citing a string of recent attacks — including the May 29 massacre in Agan Community within Makurdi metropolis, and June 1 attacks on Naka (Gwer West LGA) and Edikwu-Ankpali (Apa LGA) — the legal luminary condemned the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for allegedly trivializing the killings and failing to respond appropriately.

 “Our dear Governor has not deemed it fit to issue a statement consoling the victims, not to talk of visiting the bereaved families,” Hon stated, accusing Governor Alia of “dancing around on podiums in celebration of his two years in office” while citizens mourned.

Prof. Hon further alleged a disturbing pattern of military inaction and possible collusion. He cited incidents where security forces failed to respond to attacks even when stationed close by, including an assault on a Catholic priest near a checkpoint and repeated reports by the clergy of military complicity in the violence.

 “In most cases, the social media is always agog with mass movement of those armed invaders. Even if there is intelligence failure… those social media alerts have proved to be credible,” the petition read.

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He urged President Tinubu to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which allows the President to declare a state of emergency when public order and safety are under serious threat. Drawing parallels with past emergency declarations in Nigeria — including in Plateau, Ekiti, and Borno — and even the United States, Prof. Hon argued that the situation in Benue is even more severe.

He highlighted President Tinubu’s prior declaration of emergency in Rivers State earlier this year as a precedent, adding that the killings and displacement in Benue far exceed the situation in Rivers.

 “The sovereignty of Nigeria is under very serious risk!” Hon warned, insisting the violence is akin to an invasion that local security forces can no longer contain.

The legal scholar concluded by requesting the removal and total overhaul of military leadership in the state and demanded urgent and decisive intervention from the Presidency.

Benue State, which has been a flashpoint of deadly clashes between armed herders and farming communities, has seen a resurgence of violence in recent weeks. However, the state government has yet to issue any comprehensive response to the latest wave of attacks.

There has been no official reaction from the Presidency or military authorities as of press time.