Nigerian music icons Innocent Idibia, known as 2Baba, and Jude Abaga, popularly called MI, voiced deep anguish over the recent wave of deadly attacks in Benue State, urging authorities and stakeholders to end the escalating violence.
In an emotional Instagram video posted Sunday, Benue-born 2Baba described the killings in Yelwata, Daudu, Mtswenem, and Akondotyough Bawa as a national emergency. “What is going on in my state has become a national emergency. I can not wrap my head around it,” the 49-year-old said, lamenting the lack of solutions. “This thing has to stop. It has to evoke everybody,” he added, calling for decisive action from the government and stakeholders to address the crisis.
Echoing 2Baba’s grief, MI expressed solidarity with Benue’s communities in a social media post, stating, “My heart is heavy. It grieves me deeply to see so much of the Middle Belt bleed.” He highlighted the human toll of over 100 reported deaths in Guma Local Government Area, where suspected herders killed residents, some burned alive, in a two-day rampage. “The recent killings in Benue are not just statistics, they are our people, our families, our communities being torn apart,” MI wrote, urging an end to the normalized cycle of violence.
The artists’ outcries align with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s call for a national emergency and social media demands for a state of emergency in Benue. Local leaders warn the death toll may be higher, fueling nationwide outrage. Both 2Baba and MI stressed the need for collective action, with 2Baba warning, “It has gone beyond just condemning. Serious action needs to start to take place,” as they mourn the loss and stand with affected communities.
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