It is with a deeply broken heart that I write to you today. The darkness that fell upon our land on Friday following the merciless massacre of our people in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, has left a scar on our conscience that time alone cannot heal. Over 100 innocent lives, mostly women and children were brutally cut short in a manner that defies humanity and reason. These were mothers, sisters, daughters, fathers and sons; citizens whose only “crime” was being born in a land they called home.
Benue bleeds, and in this moment of grief, I mourn with every family that has lost a loved one. I stand with every child now orphaned, every widow left in sorrow, and every community shattered by these repeated acts of evil. As a son of this land, I feel your pains. As a father, I understand your anguish. And as a Nigerian, I am ashamed that such wickedness continues unabated on our soil.
But beyond mourning, we must reflect. This is no longer the time for political divides, clannish sentiments, or personal loyalties. The enemy before us does not care whether we are Tiv, Idoma, Igede, neither do they care which political divide you belong to. He does not check your PVC before pulling the trigger. He is not interested in who we voted for or what political party we belong to. His mission is simple to conquer, to displace, and to destroy. And unless we come together as one Benue, one people, one purpose, we may wake up one day with no place left to call home.
I humbly appeal to His Excellency, the Governor of our dear state, a brother and a fellow son of Benue to rise to this urgent challenge. Your Excellency, now is the time to show the heart of a father. A father who grieves not just with his words, but with decisive action. I plead with you to put the house our Benue family together. From traditional rulers to the religious leaders, to youth and women leaders, and all concerned stakeholders. Let us reason together, talk together, and find lasting solutions together. Benue must not continue to be a killing field.
Furthermore, I remind us all that the Anti-Open Grazing Law passed by the immediate past administration is not the law of one man, but a law of the Benue people. It is not a partisan legacy; it is our collective resolve to protect lives, property, and the dignity of our heritage. Let us return to the drawing board and ensure the full enforcement of this law. Let it not gather dust on a shelf while our people gather corpses from the fields.
Benue belongs to all of us. It is a precious inheritance entrusted to us by our ancestors, and it’s our duty to pass it to future generations yet unborn. We must nurture it, protect it, and preserve it not for ourselves alone, but for the millions who will come after us. It is bigger than any single individual, any single government, or any fleeting political season.
Finally, I make a humble appeal to all sons and daughters of Benue, whether at home or in the diaspora to remain vigilant. We must support ourselves, gather intelligence, and look out for one another. In this time of great testing, security must become everybody’s business. The enemy may come for one of us, but let him find all of us standing together.
May God comfort the bereaved, protect our people, and grant us the strength to overcome.
Long live Benue State.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
With deep sorrow and unshaken hope,
Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN
Former Attorney-General & Minister of Justice
