Demola Olarewaju, an aide to former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has revealed why Pope Leo XIV reacted to the recent Benue killings before President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Hyacinth Alia.

MyNigeria reported that over 100 residents were killed in different communities by armed men between June 13 and 14, 2025.

However, a day after the incident, no comment was made by the President and also the governor.

Meanwhile, shortly after Pope Leo XIV issued a statement condemning the massacre, the President and Governor Alia broke silence on the incident.

According to Atiku's aide, President Tinubu and Governor Alia spoke about the Benue killings because it was exposed by the Pope after the media tried to bury it.

He shared on X, "Tinubu, Alia and his APC henchmen kept quiet, hoping Nigerians would be distracted away from the killing of 200 in Benue - they knew what had happened but wanted to ignore it and the media helped them to try to cover it.

"That’s why the Pope and everyone else reacted before them."

ASA