Violent protests erupt as suspected armed Men went on killing spree in three States
Violent protests erupt as suspected armed Men went on killing spree in three States
Tensions boiled over in Benue, Nasarawa, and Ondo States yesterday as violent protests and public outcry erupted following a series of deadly attacks attributed to herdsmen and bandits, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 people.
In Nasarawa State, a brutal clash between farmers and herders left 20 people dead, including a pregnant woman.
The violence also resulted in numerous injuries, widespread destruction of property, and the burning of motorcycles, houses, and a police operational vehicle in the Nasarawa Local Government Area (LGA).
Local authorities reported recovering six bodies, but witnesses suggested that as many as 20 people may have died, with many more feared missing.
Meanwhile, in Ondo State, anger swept through the streets as market women and youths protested the kidnapping of nine surveyors.
The state government, police, and a local regent found themselves at odds over the recent attacks by bandits in Akure North LGA, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people and the displacement of residents.
The tensions surrounding the incident underscored growing frustrations over the state’s inability to curb the rising violence.
In Benue State, violence reached a fever pitch in Gwer West LGA, where youths set fire to the local government secretariat and the palace of the Gwer West traditional council leader, HRH Daniel Abomtse, in protest of the murder of three Civil Protection Guards by suspected armed herdsmen.
The victims were killed on Monday while on duty in the On-MbaAondo and Tsambe-Mbesev communities.
The unrest began early yesterday morning, when the bodies of the slain guards were brought to Naka for burial, and quickly escalated as angry youths took to the streets, burning down properties, including a hotel owned by Senator Titus Zam, a lawmaker representing Benue North West.
Sources indicated that the violence was fueled not only by the murders of the security guards but also by mounting anger over the government’s failure to address the persistent attacks by armed herdsmen in the region.
One local source described the unrest as a “revolt,” a reaction to years of frustration with the authorities’ inaction in the face of ongoing violence.
Victor Omirin, Chairman of Gwer West LGA, confirmed that the protests, which initially began in Naka, were hijacked by hoodlums, resulting in the destruction of government property.
He attributed the violence to the murder of the three guards in Gyaluwa community, which sparked the protest and later escalated as it was overtaken by criminal elements.
