A prominent legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Benue State following what he described as “a relentless and gruesome massacre of innocent civilians.”
Naijaonpoint reports that Ejiofor, who is also legal counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), issued a strong-worded statement on Tuesday, warning that the continued loss of lives in the North-Central state had surpassed constitutional thresholds and required immediate federal intervention.
Quoting Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Ejiofor said the law empowers the President to declare a state of emergency where there is a breakdown of public order or imminent danger to life and property.
“Given the scale and persistence of the ongoing attacks—allegedly perpetrated by foreign militias infiltrating through the Cameroon border as reported by the Governor—this constitutional threshold has clearly been surpassed,” he stated.
Ejiofor also faulted the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, for what he termed as premature exoneration of Fulani herdsmen, urging the federal government not to downplay verified threats.
The lawyer warned against politicising the crisis, insisting that the protection of lives must take precedence over political interests.
“This is no time for political appeasement or partisan manoeuvring. The foremost duty of any government is the protection of its citizens and the defence of its territorial integrity,” he added.
He called for the deployment of full security force operations to flush out the attackers, whom he described as foreign insurgents, and condemned the repeated bloodshed in communities like Yelwata.
Ejiofor didn’t spare Governor Alia in his criticism, saying, “The Governor, as a former spiritual leader turned political figure, must recognise that in times of crisis, leadership demands constitutional fidelity, courage, and unequivocal action—not deflection or denial.
“If the burden of political office has become too heavy, perhaps a return to the pulpit may better serve his conscience and calling.”
Naijaonpoint understands that the lawyer’s call comes as international outrage continues to mount over the killings.
The United Nations, through Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said it was monitoring the situation and urged that those responsible be brought to justice.
“The Secretary-General condemns the killing of innocent civilians, including in Nigeria, and we hope that those responsible for this violence will be found and apprehended,” Haq said.
Similarly, Amnesty International condemned the killings in Yelwata, which reportedly left over 100 people dead, accusing the Nigerian authorities of failing to protect their citizens.
“The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata… shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working,” the organisation said in a statement.
It warned that the bloodshed in Benue must be brought to an end immediately, stressing that perpetrators must be identified and prosecuted.
The growing outrage has prompted the presidency to announce that President Bola Tinubu will visit Benue on Wednesday, following criticisms over his silence and absence during the massacre.