Falana Slams FG, Benue for Failing to Prosecute Arrested Killers

Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has strongly criticized both the Federal Government and the Benue State Government for their repeated failure to prosecute individuals arrested for violent crimes in Benue State.

Speaking under the platform of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), which he chairs, Falana said that despite the arrest of hundreds of suspects over the years for offenses such as illegal arms possession, mass killings, and kidnapping, most have not been formally prosecuted.

His remarks came in reaction to President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive during his visit to Benue, where he ordered the arrest and prosecution of those behind the latest wave of attacks. Falana, however, expressed skepticism, stating that such orders in the past had yielded little to no results.

He also faulted the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for claiming that residents of Yelwata sheltered the attackers, calling the comment a distraction that wrongly shifts blame onto victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable.

Citing several documented arrests, Falana noted:

• Dec 30, 2024: Police Commissioner Hassan Yabanet announced the arrest of 273 suspects involved in major crimes and the recovery of arms and ammunition.

• Jan 17, 2024: Police uncovered an illegal gun factory, arresting two suspects and recovering a cache of weapons.

• Apr 17, 2025: Governor Hyacinth Alia reported the arrest of three herdsmen over the murder of 11 people.

• Jun 19, 2025: Community guards apprehended three suspected kidnappers in Otukpo with ransom cash in their possession.

Falana emphasized that while arrests continue, the absence of prosecutions only deepens the culture of impunity. He urged the state’s Attorney-General, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, to take urgent legal steps to ensure suspects face trial.

He stressed that without enforcement of the right to life as guaranteed in Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, such violence would persist and public confidence in justice would erode further.