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Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has criticized Labour Party chieftain Peter Obi over his recent comments on the tragic killings in Benue State.
Obi, in a statement released earlier today, decried the Federal Government’s perceived indifference to national tragedies, stating that President Bola Tinubu has failed to visit communities affected by disasters. He compared the Nigerian government’s response to those of other nations, citing the South African President’s prompt visit to flood victims and the Indian President’s hospital visit to the sole survivor of a recent Air India crash.
Obi argued that Nigeria needs a leader with “competence, capacity, character, and compassion”, stating that until Nigerians elect leaders based on these values, the “cycle of pain will only continue.”
Reacting via his X handle, Omokri condemned Obi’s remarks, accusing him of politicizing the Benue killings for personal and political gain.
“The Benue killings stand condemned, and I urge non-politicisation of the deaths,” Omokri stated. “My heartfelt condolences go to the government and people of Benue State. No community deserves such harrowing experiences. I call on the state to open an account for public donations. I will contribute once it is established.”
Omokri further criticized Obi’s assertion that Nigeria has never had it this bad, citing several past incidents under previous administrations to counter the claim. He listed:
- The July 5, 2022 Boko Haram and ISWAP invasion of Kuje Prisons, where 879 inmates escaped.
- The July 29, 2022 ambush of the Presidential Guards Battalion.
- The August 24, 2021 attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna.
- The November 29, 2020 massacre of over 100 rice farmers in Zabamari, Borno State.
- The November 2018 killing of over 100 soldiers in Metele by Boko Haram.
- The March 28, 2022 bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna train.
He also referenced the Southern Kaduna crisis under former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai, alleging that the government at the time paid killer herders and tolerated interactions with armed bandits.
“None of these happened under the Tinubu administration,” Omokri argued. “That does not excuse the Benue killings, which are tragic and unacceptable. But such crises have existed before and will persist unless historic grazing routes are reopened to ensure peaceful coexistence between herders and host communities.”
He went further to attack Obi’s record as former governor of Anambra State, alleging that under his watch, “hundreds of young men were extrajudicially murdered, and their corpses dumped in the Ezu River.”
Omokri also recalled that Obi had previously been barred from visiting Benue by Governor Hyacinth Alia, a fellow Catholic, due to alleged politicisation of the crisis.
“Nigeria needs leaders who offer solutions, not those who seek political mileage from the misery of others,” he concluded. “Right now, we need solutions — not pollutions.”
