Farida Waziri Urges Benue Leaders to Unite Against Rising Violence

Mrs. Farida Waziri, former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has issued a stark warning to Benue State’s leaders and stakeholders, urging them to put aside their differences and work together to address the region’s escalating violence and killings.

Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, made the impassioned plea during today’s relief donation to victims of recent attacks in the Yelwata community and displaced people at Makurdi’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.

Waziri, through her non-governmental organisation, Women, Youth, Children, and Crime Organisation (WYCCO), provided critical relief materials, such as bags of rice, sugar, tubers of yam, and other household items, to those affected by the attacks.

Addressing the crowd, Waziri emphasised the urgency of the situation, saying, “This is not the time for division.” There is no time for political squabbles or ego-driven manoeuvring.

Among us are men and women who have led this state – former governors, legislators, traditional rulers, and others with power and authority.

“The time has come to put our differences aside and stand together for the sake of the average Benue man, woman, and child.”

Drawing parallels with Winston Churchill’s wartime leadership, Waziri warned against ignoring the gravity of the situation.

“We must remember Sir Winston Churchill’s words: ‘Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them,’” she reminded the audience.

“Another of Churchill’s warnings is just as relevant to our current predicament: ‘If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.”

Waziri’s call echoes a recent proposal made by President Bola Tinubu during his visit to Benue, which focused on collaborative solutions.

However, she emphasised that meetings alone would not be sufficient. “But, let us be honest: peace will not come from meetings alone.

“To break the cycle of violence, we must confront its roots,” she declared. She cited the preceding weeks of violence in the Gwer West, Apa, and Guma communities, emphasising that the attacks were “symptoms of deeper issues” rather than “an isolated incident.”

According to Waziri, these underlying issues include ethnic and religious tensions, unchecked banditry, the rise of cultism, and the use of illegal drugs.

She emphasised the importance of addressing these issues, as well as the ongoing herder-farmer conflict, with honesty and courage.

“We cannot afford to continue going in circles. There is no room for blame games. “Our leaders — and all of us — must be pragmatic,” she stated.

“So today, let us commit, as one people, to healing our wounds, reclaiming our land, and ensuring that no child in Benue grows up in a camp rather than a home.”

Waziri concluded by stating that the situation in Benue State should be a “concern to all sons and daughters of Benue, regardless of whether we live within its borders or far away in the diaspora, to find out the root cause of these attacks with a view to proposing solutions that will put an end to these barbaric acts.”

Her call to unity and action has reverberated throughout the state, giving many hope for a new era of collaboration in the fight against violence.