Benue killings: My heart is heavy, our people are being killed – MI Abaga

Renowned Nigerian rapper and music executive, Jude Abaga, popularly known as MI, has expressed deep sorrow over the latest wave of killings in Benue State, declaring solidarity with affected communities and calling for an end to the cycle of violence.

In a statement on Monday via X, MI said, “My heart is heavy. It grieves me deeply to see so much of the Middle Belt bleed. The recent killings in Benue are not just statistics, they are our people, our families, our communities being torn apart.”

He added, “I stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters in Benue. Your pain is my pain. We can’t normalise this cycle of violence that has plagued our land for too long. To those we’ve lost: we will not forget you. To those still standing, we stand with you.”

The rapper’s statement follows a series of reactions to the mass killings in Benue State, where over 100 people were reportedly killed in Guma Local Government Area in what has been described as a two-day rampage by suspected herders.

Local leaders claim the actual death toll may be much higher, with entire families wiped out and some victims reportedly burned alive.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had earlier described the situation as “a national emergency,” urging the Federal Government and Benue State authorities to take immediate and decisive action.

He called for a prompt and transparent investigation into the attacks, along with improved security deployment across the region.

The violence has sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians demanding that a state of emergency be declared in Benue State.