Tension mounted on Tuesday afternoon in Makurdi as news of the 19 people including the two priests allegedly killed by suspected herders filtered into the town.
Our correspondent reports that impromptu protests erupted in major areas of Makurdi city with some youths who took to the streets, blocked roads and made bonfires at the Wrukum axis.
Motorists and commuters diverted for alternative routes to get to their desired destination as schools authority quickly alerted parents/guardians to pick up their children/wards from schools even before closing hours.
But, for the timely intervention of security operatives who took charge of flash points, the situation would have degenerated into lawlessness when corpses of the dead victims arrived Makurdi to be taken into the morgue.
Similarly, the Wadata, Wurukum and Modern markets were hurriedly closed even as other shops in the metropolis were also shut as hoodlums attempted to take advantage of the situation to cause more trouble.