BENUE YOUTHS PROTEST KILLINGS, BLOCK HIGHWAY IN MAKURDI
Hundreds of youths in Benue State staged a protest on Sunday, blocking the Abuja-Makurdi highway to express their frustration over ongoing killings in the state. The protesters, dressed in black and carrying palm fronds, demanded urgent steps to halt the bloodshed affecting communities across the state.
The protest followed a deadly attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area, allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen, in which over 200 lives were reportedly lost. Despite the Benue State Government’s ban on “unlawful gatherings,” the youths voiced their sense of neglect and urged the government to implement effective security measures and ensure justice for the victims.
One of the protesters, Ali Joshua David, said, “The primary responsibility of the government is to protect lives and property… this administration has failed us… where should we run to? We continue running from these herders and our leaders, our governor remains quiet, if they cannot protect us, they should quietly resign.”
Another protester added, “We have become IDPs in our own country, if President Tinubu cannot contain the security situation in the North Central, he should step aside.” The protesters were later dispersed by the Benue State Police command, reportedly on the orders of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The dispersal was carried out with a joint force of security operatives and armed thugs who were chanting “No Alia No Benue.” Eyewitnesses described the protest as peaceful until security personnel arrived and began firing tear gas and shooting into the air, resulting in chaos, injuries, and several arrests.
Social media activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) intervened, appealing to the youths to adopt a civil approach to draw the government’s attention. VDM stated, “I don de hear about Benue killings no be today, its time for it to end.”
A pro-government supporter claimed the protest was a sponsored plot by politicians in Abuja to destabilize the Alia government and force a state of emergency in Benue, citing VDM’s presence as part of a larger plan to embarrass the governor before President Tinubu.
