18/06/2025
PRESS RELEASE
Date: June 18th 2025
RECLES CONDEMNS BENUE KILLINGS, CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT LIVES, AND PROMOTE LASTING PEACE
The Rufus Ebegba Centre for Leadership and Environmental Sustainability (RECLES) strongly condemns the recent wave of killings in Benue State, which have led to the tragic loss of innocent lives, the displacement of entire communities, and an alarming escalation of insecurity in the region.
Dr. Rufus Ebegba KSJ, MD/CEO of RECLES, expressed profound sorrow over the ongoing violence, describing it as a national tragedy that challenges the sanctity of life and undermines the foundational values of unity, peace, and justice.
"What is happening in Benue is not only a humanitarian crisis but also a test of our national conscience. No society can thrive when the lives of its citizens are taken with impunity. The government at all levels must act swiftly, decisively, and justly to restore peace and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable,” Dr. Rufus Ebegba
As a centre devoted to ethical leadership and sustainable development, RECLES emphasizes that peace and security are essential to both environmental and human sustainability. Where security is absent, development can not take root, and communities are left in cycles of suffering and stagnation.
Dr. Ebegba, therefore, calls on the Federal Government, the Benue State Government, security agencies, and all relevant stakeholders to take immediate and sustained action by:
Ensuring the immediate cessation of hostilities and protection of vulnerable populations;
Conducting transparent investigations and ensuring justice is served to those responsible for the violence;
Initiating inclusive dialogue and peace-building efforts involving traditional rulers, youth leaders, women, and civil society;
Implementing long-term strategies to resolve underlying issues such as land conflicts, weak governance structures, and resource competition.
RECLES also appeals to the international community, development partners, civil society organizations, and the media to lend their voices and support efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of victims and bringing sustainable peace to the region.
"Peace is not an abstract ideal... it is a necessity. The lives lost in Benue are not just numbers. They are dreams cut short, families shattered, and futures erased. We must all rise in one voice to say, ‘Enough is enough,’” Dr. Rufus E. Ebegba
