Nigerian entertainment industry heavyweight and outspoken activist Folarin Falana, professionally known as Falz, has delivered a blistering condemnation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of the country’s deteriorating security situation, following the devastating massacre in Benue State that left hundreds dead.
The award-winning rapper and son of renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana took to social media platform X on Monday, June 16, 2025, to express his outrage at what he described as the government’s chronic failure to fulfill its constitutional obligation to protect Nigerian lives and property.
“You have consistently shown that you are incapable of performing the primary duty of securing the lives and properties of the citizens,” Falz wrote in his strongly-worded post, directly addressing the President.
The criticism comes in the wake of a horrific attack in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where around 200 people were “brutally killed” on the night of June 13-14, 2025, most of them internally displaced persons.
The magnitude of the violence has drawn international attention, with Pope Francis praying for victims of the ‘terrible massacre’ during his Sunday Angelus prayer.
The ‘This is Nigeria’ crooner, whose politically charged music has made him a prominent voice in Nigeria’s social justice movement, accused the President of offering nothing but empty rhetoric in response to the escalating bloodshed.
His criticism appears to be a direct response to Tinubu’s official statement regarding the Benue killings, which Falz dismissed as inadequate given the scale of the crisis.
This latest rebuke represents the continuation of a pattern of criticism from the entertainer toward the current administration. Two weeks ago, Falz argued that Nigeria has retrograded under the current administration, stressing that not much progress has been made since Tinubu assumed office.
The Benue massacre has sparked widespread calls for action across Nigeria’s social media landscape, with a growing number of Nigerians demanding that the Federal Government declare a state of emergency in Benue State following the killing of a reported 200 people in a two-day rampage by suspected herders.
The timing of Falz’s criticism is particularly significant as it comes just hours before President Tinubu announced his resolve to visit Benue on Wednesday following the continued killing of residents.
However, for the activist-entertainer, presidential visits and condolence statements no longer suffice in addressing what he sees as a fundamental governance failure.
This confrontation between one of Nigeria’s most influential young voices and the country’s leadership underscores the growing frustration among citizens over the persistent insecurity that has plagued various regions of the country.
As public figures like Falz continue to use their platforms to demand accountability, the pressure mounts on the Tinubu administration to demonstrate concrete action beyond symbolic gestures and routine statements.
The entertainment industry’s increasing political activism, exemplified by figures like Falz, reflects a broader shift in how Nigerian celebrities are engaging with national issues, using their influence to amplify public discontent over governance failures.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nigerian rapper and activist Falz has publicly accused President Tinubu of being “incapable” of protecting Nigerian citizens following the brutal massacre of around 200 people in Benue State on June 13-14, 2025.
