Nigeria, June 17 -- I am naturally hemophobic; I run from blood. But I had to encourage myself to watch the videos of the killings in Yelwata town in Benue State on Friday night. The killings, which the locals said started around 10.45pm on Friday, lasted till 2.00 am on Saturday without any help coming the way of the helpless dwellers who were killed in their hundreds!

Benue is on the path to 'genocidal annihilation'. You may have to pardon the specious tautology in this sentence. It is deliberate, and at the same time, the best way to convey the issues in today's piece. This is necessary so that no one will be left in doubt about what we are talking about.

When a man feels the full impact of the percussion at the dance arena, he shows...