In a powerful and deeply emotional demonstration of faith and solidarity, members of the Catholic Church in Benue State took to the streets of Gboko on Thursday morning in a solemn prayer walk to honour victims of brutal gunmen attacks and to demand an end to the bloodshed ravaging the state.
Led by the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, the procession brought together priests, parishioners, and concerned residents, all united in grief and hope. Bearing placards with messages such as “Pray for Victims of Herdsmen Attacks” and “We Want Peace in Benue,” the demonstrators sent a clear, impassioned plea to both the heavens and the halls of power.
This poignant march came just hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s highly publicised visit to the state, a spectacle marked by orchestrated fanfare, tight security, and a state-declared public holiday. The contrast between the political pageantry and the church’s quiet, dignified protest could not have been more striking.
According to a memo dated June 17, 2025, signed by Hon. Francis U. Ngutswen, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Groups Mobilisation, the Benue State Government had mobilised an elaborate “colourful shoulder-to-shoulder” welcome for President Tinubu. Support groups were directed to line the roads from Makurdi’s NAF Base through Wurukum Roundabout to the Government House, in a bid to showcase popular support.
Yet, for many residents, the true heartbeat of Benue was not found in choreographed cheers but in the tearful eyes and bowed heads of Catholic faithful walking silently for their fallen brothers and sisters.
During his visit, President Tinubu met with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth representatives, and top security personnel, acknowledging the scale of the tragedy. In a rare moment of candour, he said, “The value of human life is greater than that of a cow… How come no arrest has been made?”
The President’s question—directed pointedly at the nation’s top security chiefs—captured the widespread frustration over the perceived inertia in tackling the violence. Tinubu demanded concrete results from security heads present, including Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa, NIA DG Mohammed Mohammed, and DSS DG Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi.
“Let’s get those criminals. Let’s get them out,” Tinubu charged. “DG NIA and DG DSS, retreat your information channels. Let’s have tangible intelligence so this does not occur again.”
Despite these presidential directives, many in Benue remain sceptical. With hundreds dead and thousands displaced in recent years due to suspected herdsmen attacks, residents say they have heard too many promises and seen too little action.
The Catholic Church’s prayer walk was not merely a religious exercise—it was a bold and spiritual indictment of the state’s failure to protect its people. In a state bleeding from its heart, the faithful marched not for political favour, but for peace, justice, and the dignity of every human life.
As the sun rose over Gboko, so too did the voices of the people, echoing a single cry: enough is enough.
PIONEER NEWS 