Fresh killings spark protest in Benue

Our correspondent reports that hundreds of women and youths trooped out early Friday morning to mount a roadblock on the highway leading from Makurdi to Lafia and Abuja.

Witnesses told our correspondent as at the time of filing this report that the protesters had yet to vacate the road, making it difficult for travellers to gain entry into or exit Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Some locals explained that the five people were killed in separate attacks by the assailants who besieged the sleepy rural communities of Ngban where they killed three people Thursday night and another two at Nyian on Friday morning.

The locals lamented that Ngban, a village hosting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), had suffered a similar fate earlier this year when over 30 people including the IDPs were hacked to the death by the attackers.

Corroborating the villagers, the Guma LGA Security Adviser, Christopher Waku, told journalists in Makurdi the murder of the five villagers.

“Our women have trooped out to the Makurdi-Abuja federal highway since 5am today (Friday) as you can hear from background of the telephone conversation. Right now, they are singing emotional songs and no vehicle coming from either Abuja or Makurdi can pass through to either side.

“The women are protesting the murder of five people killed yesterday (Thursday) night and this morning (Friday).

“Three people were killed at Ngban yesterday night and two people killed at Nyian this morning. The women have said that they are not going to leave the road until the governor comes and talk to them. I’m right now on the road where the women are protesting waiting for Governor Hyacinth Alia,” Waku said.

It was gathered that the governor was preparing to visit the scene of the protest which is about 45 minutes drive from Makurdi township.