Angry protest springs up in Benue as youths block Abuja-Makurdi highway over 200 killed by herdsmen
Angry Benue youths on Sunday staged a protest and blocked the Abuja-Makurdi highway, expressing outrage over the continued killings in the state.
The demonstrators, dressed in black attires and carrying palm fronds and placards with various inscriptions, barricaded the ever-busy road, disrupting vehicular movement and demanding immediate action to end the bloodshed.
Reports said the protesters prevented vehicles from passing, causing gridlock and panic among commuters.
The protest comes barely 24 hours after suspected armed herdsmen launched a deadly attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area, where over 200 people were reportedly killed.
The Benue State Government had earlier issued a warning against unlawful gatherings and confrontations, particularly by youths, in the wake of escalating tensions across affected communities.
Despite the appeal for calm, the youths said they feel abandoned and are demanding concrete security measures and justice for the victims of the attacks.
Police fire teargas
Meanwhile, men of the Nigeria Police arrived the scene firing teargas to disperse a crowd of angry protesters.
The protesters, dressed in black and wielding placards, had taken to the streets to demand justice and immediate action from the state and federal governments.
Their chants filled the air with grief and outrage, as they called for an end to the unrelenting attacks by suspected armed herdsmen.
The peaceful demonstration, however, turned chaotic when security forces arrived at the scene and fired teargas canisters to break up the crowd.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and confusion as protesters scattered for safety, with some reportedly injured in the ensuing stampede.
Popular social media influencer, Martin Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, on Sunday, joined thousands of Benue state youths who converged on the Wurukum food basket roundabout Makurdi as early as 8 am to demand action over the persistent killings the state.
The protesters strongly condemned killing of about 200 people on Saturday in Yelwata and urged President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to stop the attacks on innocent citizens.
The angry youths were later dispersed by security operatives who fired teargas at them.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue on Sunday condemned the attack and killing at Yelewata by suspected criminal herders, saying that nothing should warrant the taking of life.
Alia, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the state, Sam Ode, on a visit to the scene of the heinous act earlier on Sunday, said he was not resting on his laurels to ensure that the state experiences peace.
He says, “Governor Hyacinth Alia acknowledges and shares in your pains and grief caused by the attacks on your community by criminal elements suspected to be armed herdsmen,” the governor was quoted as saying in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary on Sunday.
Alia said the state government was consistently engaging with federal security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen security interventions and provide lasting solutions to these persistent attacks.
He, therefore, assured the residents that more tactical teams had started arriving in Benue from the Federal Government and additional security deployments were being arranged for vulnerable areas.
He said response squad teams were also deployed and would be in Benue from Sunday, while strategic community dialogues were ongoing to enhance active intelligence sharing.
“The state’s joint operations units are also being strengthened, and the government will not relent in its utmost commitment to defending the lives and properties of all residents.
“In the spirit of peace and unity, we call on religious, traditional, and political leaders across the state to sensitise and guide the youths under their influence against unlawful gatherings or confrontations that may spiral out of control,” the governor added.
Over 200 people were reportedly brutally killed in the Yelewata community of Guma Local Government Area in one of the latest incidents of herdsmen attacks in the state.
Speaking during his Sunday Angelus prayer, the pontiff said most of the victims were internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had sought shelter at a local Catholic mission in the area, making the attack even more horrifying.
“I pray that security, justice and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country afflicted by various forms of violence. And I pray in particular for the rural Christian communities of Benue State, who are incessant victims of violence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Government has said it is consistently engaging with federal security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen security interventions and provide lasting solutions to the persistent attacks.
In a statement on Sunday, the state assured that more tactical teams have started arriving from the Federal Government and additional security deployments are being arranged for vulnerable areas.
“Response Squad Teams are also deployed and will be in Benue from Sunday, strategic community dialogues are ongoing to enhance active intelligence sharing,” the state said.
