While Leaders Eye 2027 Elections, Apostle Suleman Decries Benue Killings and Urges Citizens to Defend Themselves

 

Apostle Johnson Suleman has once again sparked a national conversation by issuing a bold and impassioned statement addressing the ongoing violence in Benue State. In a tweet that has since gone viral, the fiery preacher called on the Nigerian federal government to confront its apparent failure in maintaining security across the country, particularly in the Middle Belt region.

Mounting insecurity in Benue has become a grim symbol of Nigeria’s broader struggles. Suleman, known for his outspokenness on national issues, minced no words in declaring the state of affairs “evil, barbaric and a mayhem.” His remarks come amid a fresh wave of attacks reportedly carried out by armed herdsmen and bandits, leading to the displacement and deaths of countless citizens. Villages have been razed, families destroyed, and entire communities rendered ghost towns.

Public frustration has been building for months, but religious leaders, including Suleman, are increasingly taking center stage in amplifying these concerns. Rather than offering the usual platitudes or scripted condemnations, the Apostle demanded that the federal government publicly admit its limitations. According to him, honesty about the collapse of the nation's security infrastructure is better than a pretentious silence while lives are being lost.

The statement resonates deeply across regions and political divides. “If the federal govt knows it’s overwhelmed or its security architecture has failed,” Suleman tweeted, “they should be humble enough to tell the citizens.” His call for transparency reflects a broader sentiment among Nigerians who feel abandoned by their leaders in times of crisis.

Perhaps the most provocative part of his message was the explicit endorsement of self-defense. Citing the constitutional right to protect oneself, Suleman urged the people of Benue not to wait passively for salvation from above. “PEOPLE OF BENUE, DEFEND YOURSELF,” he declared, reinforcing his previous warnings during visits to violence-ravaged areas like Jos and Benue.

This bold stance places him at odds with those who argue for restraint and the exclusive reliance on state apparatus for protection. However, to many Nigerians grappling with daily threats to their lives and livelihoods, the Apostle’s message is not only justified but long overdue. Citizens in conflict zones increasingly feel that the promise of protection under the Nigerian flag is an empty one.

The timing of Suleman’s comments also added a scathing critique of the political elite, who are reportedly more focused on maneuvering for the 2027 general elections than confronting the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in real-time. “It’s ridiculous that people are thinking of 2027 whilst mayhem is being unleashed in 2025,” Suleman tweeted. “What happened to your humanity?”

As communities mourn and mass graves grow in Benue, his words strike a chord with grieving families and concerned citizens. They also raise urgent questions about the role of government in a democracy: what happens when a state fails to protect its people? Who holds those in power accountable when the system meant to ensure law and order is paralyzed or complicit?

The Nigerian Constitution enshrines the right to life and the right to security, yet those principles seem increasingly theoretical in regions beset by unchecked violence. Suleman's call, far from mere rhetoric, challenges both the moral conscience of the nation and the operational backbone of its leadership.

Leaders from various quarters, including civil society, religious communities, and even some state officials, have echoed the need for urgent intervention. Yet few have expressed it with the clarity and conviction that Suleman brings. His words are not just a condemnation; they are a rallying cry. Not just a lament, but a plea for agency and responsibility.

“What happened to your humanity?” he asks — a piercing question that cuts through political calculations and reaches into the heart of national identity. Nigeria stands at a crossroads, and voices like Suleman’s refuse to let the tragedy pass unnoticed.

As the death toll rises and the air thickens with the smoke of burned villages, the silence of many political leaders grows ever more deafening. The country may indeed have once been — as Suleman lamented, “There was a country…” But his words also challenge the citizens and leaders alike: what kind of country do we want now? And who will rise to defend it?