Her bible, her faith, her silence: The Benue massacre that claimed 200 lives
She was a child.
Holding her Bible in small hands, wearing her Sunday best, she smiled for the camera before she went off to church.
Within less than 24 hours of, she was no more — one of over 200 innocent Nigerians murdered in a merciless wave of terror in Yelwata community, Benue State. Her name is not so known to many, but her photo is now shared on X, symbolizing the voiceless agony of a state neglected.
"The priest leads the state… but who leads with compassion?"
Benue State, led by Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, is no stranger to bloodshed. But this recent massacre sounded differently. Not just because of the numbers, but because of the quiet.
Christian groups have not issued any statement yet. Senior pastors are mum. And even the presidency took close to 48 hours before reacting.
Tinubu speaks. Late.
It was in a X statement that the President broke his silence.
"I have been informed of the wanton killings in Benue State.
Enough is enough! I have instructed security agencies to take firm action, arrest the perpetrators of these heinous crimes on either side of the dispute, and bring them to book.
Political and traditional leaders of Benue State are required to behave and eschew inflammatory statements that could serve to further escalate tensions and killings.".
This is where Governor Alia must come out as a statesman and begin the reconciliation and dialogue process forthwith that will bring peace into Benue.
Our people must live harmoniously, and it is only possible when leaders from both sides act harmoniously and differences are spotted and resolved with justice, transparency, and fairness. ~ PBAT"
To many, though, the message came too late. And too nonchalantly.
The voices that wouldn't be silenced about the Benue massacre
And while the establishment was tight-lipped, others were screaming at the top of their lungs:
VeryDarkMan (VDM) was one of the first public figures to witness the terrain of the massacre firsthand. In one of a series of videos posted, he walked through the devastation that once comprised a community, recounting what he'd experienced.
He did not pull his punches. In the midst of the charred houses and devastation, he criticized the silence surrounding the murders, calling for justice for the victims. It was not influence. It was conscience.
Aisha Yesufu, never one to be afraid to tell power the truth, posted on Twitter:
“Tinubu is sitting down there gloating over the deaths of Nigerians whose mandate he truncated to occupy the office of the C-in-C and instead of Tinubu’s impeachment to be the topic of discussion, who is supposed to OWN a political party is the main topic! Tinubu condoled with India and not with Benue!”
Comedian and activist Mr Macaroni took his sadness and anger and turned it into a post that cut deep:
"Over 200 Nigerians were slaughtered in Benue!!! 200 PEOPLE!!!!! 200!!!!!! I don't even think we understand how bad this Barbarism is!!! What is the Government doing???? 200 PEOPLE??? Like that!!!!"
Activist and lawyer Malcolm Omirhobo made a chilling threat:
"Nigerians protest the ethnic cleansing and genocide that is occurring on Benue Plateau today because tomorrow it is going to be your turn."
What the people are saying about the Benue massacre
On X, the responses were touching:
@dooshima_ty: “At this point a state of emergency should be declared in the state. Why are armed men escorting cows this night within Makurdi town in Benue?”
@karability001: “Barely 24H after this picture was taken, this girl was amongst the 200 victims from the Benue massacre.. Bola Amed Tinubu is the worst thing that has ever happened to this country”
@mamiyohh “Benue state is under siege Live are lost on a daily and it has become a norm hearts are heavy, mouths cannot explain the hurt this brings to us .We literally go to bed with fear of the unknown. Benue needs help”
Beyond the numbers, a nation's soul
This is not merely a story of Benue. It's a story of Nigeria.
Of a child who attended church. Of families massacred in silence and of how silence itself is complicity.
The Governor is a pastor. Most people are Christian. But Christian pastors are not crying out. And citizens are posing a question: "Who really speaks for us when we die like flies?"
In a nutshell, Benue bleeds. But in the words of regular Nigerians online, in the photo of one small girl and her Bible, we are reminded:
Every statistic is an individual. Every silence is a choice. And the world is watching.