Youths block highway in Benue to protest killings

Angry youths on Friday blocked the Otukpo-Adoka-Oweto-Abuja highway in Ugbokpo town, Apa Local Government Area of Benue State to protest continued killings of villagers by armed invaders.

This is coming on the heels of attacks on several communities in Apa LGA and adjourning Agatu as well as Otukpo LGAs.

The blockage of the road left travellers going to or coming from Abuja stranded for several hours on Friday, as the protesting youths demanded an end to incessant killings in the area.

One of the protesters, Oche Agama, told our correspondent on the telephone that they wanted government’s intervention on the incidents.

Also, the National Chairman of Apa Development Association, Barrister Eche Akpoko, confirmed that the youths are aggrieved by the wanton destruction of lives and property in their area.

Akpoko said, “Their grievances is this wanton destruction of properties and human lives by these criminal elements and that government has not come to their aid or intervened. They want government to know that they are being killed by criminal elements.

“So, they blocked that expressway. Commuters from Abuja or Otukpo couldn’t access the road. As we speak, I have been told that the military have appealed to their conscience to quit the road which even annoyed them the more because they said if the military were on the ground, how come they didn’t go after the killers.

“But, the situation has been brought to a calm. I’m gathering data of lives lost and property destroyed village by village in Apa. When I’m done with accurate data, I will let you know. But, a huge devastation has occurred in that place.”

Chairman of Apa LGA, Mrs Patricia Amali, told journalists that the protest was triggered by killings in the area, especially the latest large number of people killed in Umogidi village in Otukpo LGA.

Amali added that the protest was peaceful until hoodlums later hijacked it, noting that the prompt intervention of security operatives forestalled a breakdown of law and order.

“Yes, there was a protest by some youths in Ugbokpo this morning because of the killings in our area, initially, the protest was peaceful but along the line, things changed and this made me to involve policemen and soldiers who later dispersed them,” she explained.

Reacting to the protest, Special Adviser to Benue Governor on Security Matters, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba (rtd), said he had been told by the state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, that the situation had been brought under control.

“The youth were just angry about the situation there but it’s understandable. They have been pacified,” Hemba said.

In a related development, the people of Umogidi in Adoka district of Otukpo LGA where 46 deaths were reportedly recorded on Thursday, said that four additional corpses had been recovered.

The recovery brings the number of people so far killed in Umogidi in one swoop to 50.

A youth leader in the area, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent on the telephone that Umogidi and its neighbouring villages had been deserted for fear of further attacks.

“The Umogidi housed about 3000 people. The village is now deserted. Ewili, Upu, Olakpoga, Ojanowa, Epepe, Otokplago and all other surrounding villages have been deserted for fear of attacks.

“Last week, two persons were also killed from Ewili, three in Umogidi before the 46 in one swoop so the villagers fled. And the number of those who have fled can only be imagined. Some of them are taking refuge in Adoka, Otukpo town, Iga and Ojantele. Four more dead bodies now bring the number of casualties to 50,” the youth leader said.

Meanwhile, the Security Adviser, Hemba who had just returned from on-the-spot assessment of the affected area with the state deputy governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, told our correspondent that the deceased had been buried.

“They have buried them all. The situation is calm. The deputy governor encouraged those who want to go back to their homes to do so. More security had been deployed,” Hemba added.