Nigerian music icon Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2face, has called for urgent action to stop the bloodshed in Benue State following a recent attack that left hundreds dead.
It can be recalled that suspected herdsmen attacked Yelwata, a refugee community in Guma Local Government Area, on Friday, killing more than 200 people. The attack came just weeks after the Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, visited the state in a bid to tackle the growing insecurity.
Reacting to the tragedy on Monday, 2face took to his Instagram page where he shared a video expressing his grief and anger.
The singer, who also serves as the Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach to Governor Hyacinth Alia, described the situation as heartbreaking and unacceptable.
“It’s annoying, I don’t even know where to start expressing my sadness, my grief, my anger, my frustration. For these things that keep happening, happening over and over and over again. Every time we call on the governor, we call on the President, we call on, how about, oh man, this thing is not funny anymore.
“It’s not funny anymore, it’s gone beyond just condemning. Serious action, oh, every serious action needs to start to take place. Every stakeholder needs to come together to fight this dark part. We need a solution, we need, let’s be serious with this solution.”
2face
2face Idibia, who hails from Benue, said the attacks had gone beyond tragic and were beginning to feel like a sick joke.
He stressed that everyone, including government officials, leaders, and communities, must come together and treat the crisis as the national emergency it has become.
“My heart is heavy, terribly sad, terribly angry. What’s going on in my state has become a national emergency. I can’t wrap my head around it. I don’t even know what to say at this point.
“It’s going to be business as usual, I’m going to condemn the people. This has to stop; this thing has to stop. It has to involve everybody. Every stakeholder in this country, every stakeholder in every state.”
2face
Nigerian celebrities on Benue Massacre
The massacre drew sharp condemnation and emotional reactions from Nigerians at home and abroad, who are using their platforms to demand accountability and draw attention to the scale of the tragedy.
Some Nigerian celebrities also lent their voices to the cry for an end to the violence.
Popular actor and activist Mr Macaroni took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his anger over the killings and the government’s reaction thus far. “Over 200 Nigerians killed in Benue!!! 200 PEOPLE!!!!! 200!!!!!! I don’t think we understand the gravity of this Barbarism!!! What exactly is the Government doing??? 200 PEOPLE??? Just like that!!!!” he said.
Nigerian actress kate Henshaw, who is known for her vocal nature on societal issues, also reposted tweets demanding an end to the violence. “The killings in Benue State have to stop. Lives don’t mean a thing to these people?” she wrote.
The ‘Far From Home’ actor Emeka Nwagbaraocha also joined the chorus of outrage, reposting multiple tweets on the killings and criticising what he described as a deliberate media blackout.
“There’s a very strong well well-orchestrated information/media blackout and truth subversion going on in this country. It’s very scary how effective it has been so far; it feels like we, the citizens, are under siege by our own country.
“Yes, this is what we need to do. We need to start humanizing these victims. Their age, their faces, their names. For Christ’s sake, these are humans with real hopes and dreams, not just numbers. SPREAD EVERYWHERE, FORCE IT DOWN OUR COLLECTIVE THROATS!”
Emeka Nwagbaraocha
Singer Ayra Starr, who initially came under fire for posting unrelated content during the outrage over the killings, later began reposting tweets drawing attention to the massacre, including one describing the gruesome murder of children in their sleep.
“Children were slaughtered and then burnt to ashes. At night. While in their sleep. That video has terribly traumatised me.Yet some of you still support this government, defend this evil, animalistic party, and you promote this incompetent buffoon in Aso Rock. Where is your soul?”
Ayra Starr
The Benue massacre has triggered growing concern over what many see as selective outrage and insufficient national attention to recurring violence in the Middle Belt.
