The deadly incident happened over the weekend, and many Nigerians had been calling for the President to show concern. Peter Obi appreciated the decision, saying it’s a good step toward comforting the grieving communities.
In a post shared on his social media page, Obi urged the President to also visit Niger State, which is currently facing a major flood disaster.
He explained that more than 200 people have lost their lives in the Niger flood, and about 1,000 are still missing. According to Obi, the people of Mokwa community in Niger need the same level of attention and sympathy shown to the victims in Benue.
Obi also referred to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently traveled a long distance to visit areas affected by flooding in his country.
Obi said Ramaphosa’s action was commendable because he made the trip even though the number of people affected was fewer than in Niger. He used this example to encourage President Tinubu to also show the same leadership.
He believes visiting both Benue and Niger will send a strong message of compassion and responsibility from the presidency.
Obi’s message was clear — all Nigerian citizens deserve to feel seen and supported, especially during times of pain and disaster. He ended his note by saying true leadership means being present in people’s darkest moments.
His post reads
‘’It was refreshing news on Monday to a bewildered nation learning that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally decided to visit the scene of the brutal k!llings in Benue State. For this I thank him even as I make further request that similar gesture should be extended to Niger state that lost more number of human lives in a natural disaster, flood recently.
Given the emergency nature of these incidents, a prompt visits would have delivered the urgency needed, instead of giving future dates that makes it look like a state visit.
The presence of the President in these devastated and grieving communities will be very reassuring and uplifting.
Both Benue and Niger States have lost over 200 lives each due to recent tragedies. In Mokwa alone, more than 200 people were confirmed dead, and over 1,000 are still missing following the floods. These are not just statistics; they are the lives of Nigerian families torn apart and their communities destroyed.
The distance from Abuja to these affected areas is not far. Abuja to Makurdi is about 282 km and Abuja to Mokwa is about 287 km
Combined, that’s roughly 1,134 km for a round trip to both locations, still significantly less than the 1,870 km round trip President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa recently made some days ago from Pretoria to Mthatha to personally visit flood victims in his country.
Less than 100 persons died in Mthatha, and more than 200 died in Mokwa, with over 1000 still missing.
If the South African President could do it, we trust that you, as our own President, can do the same for your people.
Let your visit to Mokwa send a strong message, that all Nigerian lives matter, and that no community, no matter how rural, is forgotten. Please also consider stepping up security across the country, especially in disaster-prone areas.
We look forward to seeing not leadership by remote control but proactive leadership that responds not just with words, but with compassion and action.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO”
