Benue Killings show Nigeria unprepared for sophisticated foreign-backed attacks- Dickson

…Slams Tinubu for failing to show real leadership

Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west has voiced strong criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as a delayed and underwhelming response to the recent massacre in Benue State, where over 200 people were killed on June 14.

Speaking on Arise News on Thursday morning and monitored by BusinessDay in Jos, Dickson said Tinubu’s visit to the state — which came five days after the attack — lacked urgency and failed to convey the seriousness of the tragedy.

The president visited Makurdi on Wednesday, meeting with Benue governor Hyacinth Alia, traditional rulers, and senior security officials. Tinubu pledged to support the state in restoring peace, but Dickson, argued that the president’s presence did little to address the scale of violence or offer concrete solutions.

“What we’re seeing is not just a communal conflict. These attacks are coordinated and systematic, affecting not only Benue but other regions like Plateau. This isn’t about minor disagreements between communities. It’s a calculated and ongoing campaign of terror”; Dickson said.

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The senator, who is also a former governor of Bayelsa State, challenged the government’s framing of the violence as local disputes, insisting that such narratives downplay the reality on the ground.

He cited the image of a woman and her injured child the child’s arm severed in the attack as a stark symbol of the suffering civilians continue to endure.

Dickson also highlighted the lack of preventative action, saying that security responses often come too late and rarely dismantle the networks responsible.

“The presence of officials and security personnel after the fact is good, but not enough. What’s needed is a long-term, proactive strategy that prevents such horrors from recurring”.

He warned that the attackers are not just local bandits, but highly trained and well-equipped operatives, possibly with foreign military backgrounds. According to him, Nigeria’s security architecture is outdated and ill-prepared to confront such advanced threats.

“These are not just criminals they are trained units, equipped and coordinated like foreign mercenaries,” he added.

Dickson called on the federal government to urgently develop a national plan to combat terrorism and protect communities.

He stressed that the situation in Benue represents more than a security crisis, it is a national emergency that demands serious attention, decisive leadership, and a comprehensive security overhaul.