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Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has criticised both the Federal and Benue State Governments over their continued inability to bring suspects connected to violent incidents in the state to justice.
Speaking through a statement released on behalf of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), which he chairs, Falana expressed deep concern that despite numerous arrests over the years—ranging from illegal possession of weapons to mass killings—most suspects are never properly charged or brought to justice.
His remarks were triggered by President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue, during which he ordered the police to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of the latest violence in the region. But Falana questioned the seriousness of that directive, arguing that similar promises had been made in the past without yielding any real accountability.
He also condemned a recent comment made by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who claimed that some residents of Yelwata had offered refuge to attackers. Falana said such statements only shift the blame onto victims and communities already suffering, rather than addressing the real failures in governance and security.
In support of his position, he referenced several incidents involving arrests: On December 30, 2024, police in Benue reportedly apprehended 273 individuals over serious offences and confiscated arms and ammunition.
By January 17, 2024, authorities uncovered an illegal weapons factory in the state, arresting two men and seizing homemade firearms, including an incomplete AK-47.
On April 17, 2025, the state governor revealed that three herders had been arrested in connection with the murder of 11 villagers in Otobi.
And on June 19, 2025, local volunteer guards intercepted three alleged kidnappers at Otukpo motor park, reportedly recovering ransom money.
Falana stressed that these arrests, while frequent, rarely lead to prosecution. He pointed out that in just the first half of 2025 alone, dozens of suspects had been taken into custody—including 43 within a recent 10-day window—yet no meaningful legal action had followed.
He described this pattern as troubling, accusing authorities of treating violent offenders as “sacred cows.” He called on the Benue Attorney-General, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, to break the cycle of impunity by initiating serious legal proceedings against the suspects.
According to Falana, the constitutional right to life, as guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, becomes empty rhetoric if the state continues to turn a blind eye to injustice. He warned that unless the trend is reversed, public trust in the justice system will continue to deteriorate—and the violence will only intensify.