-
IGP takes over security in Benue
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Angry youths, on Sunday, June 15, 2025, took over the Wurukum Roundabout in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, protesting the renewed killings across the state.
Recall that in the early hours of Saturday, June 14, 2025, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked Yelwata and Daudu in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, killing over 200 people and leaving others with various degrees of injuries.
Their victims included security agents, aged persons, as well as women and children IDPs who were earlier chased from their communities following attacks.
Our correspondent gathered that the attacks were unprovoked, as women and children had their throats slit in their sleep while families were wiped out.
The killings also came barely a week after Aondona and other communities in Gwer West LGA were attacked, leaving close to a hundred people dead.
Recall also that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Olufemi Oloyede, on Monday, June 2, 2025, relocated temporarily to Makurdi to tackle the worsening security challenges in the state. He, however, left less than 48 hours after he visited the state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, and some communities.
Angered by the unabated killings, Benue youths today took to the streets in protest, blocking the popular Wurukum Roundabout and disrupting both human and vehicular movements.
The youths, both men and women, were clad in black, bearing leaf branches and banners marked with bloody writings such as “A cry for help. Stop Benue killings,” “Benue bleeds,” among others.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the youths, Arch. Brahms Ikuan said the state was under siege for a long time, and the authorities did nothing about the people’s plight.
Ikuan regretted that even when they had useful information about the movement of the attackers and reported to the authorities, they did nothing about it.
He also accused the authorities of conspiratorial silence on the ongoing genocide, adding that Benue may cease to exist if urgent steps were not taken to end the killings.
Also speaking, Mr Gideon Inyom accused the government of giving the herders unchallenged access into the Benue communities by relaxing the state’s anti-open grazing law.
Inyom said all they wanted was security of lives and property, which he said was the primary responsibility of every government worldwide.
Addressing the media at the protest scene, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, said the IGP, Egbetokun, has taken over security in the state with a pledge to apprehend the killers wherever they may be hiding.
He appealed to the Benue people and the protesters to be patient as they are working hard to nip the challenges in the bud.
Emenari said, “The IG has taken over the security of Benue State. As I speak to you now, the IG has already sent Special Forces who are already on ground, and more are coming. All the Special Forces are intelligence forces; they will go no matter where the bandits are and get them.
“The ones you see here on ground just arrived last night. The previous sets have been deployed to Naka, Apa, Agatu, Daudu, and Yelwata. We are in control of the situation, so I’m assuring all citizens of the state that we are in control. All the security agencies are with us on this. We have already made some arrests.
He said the Governor has already given them the necessary support to tackle the situation, saying, “All the logistics, every support we need, and we are going to do it, just be patient.
“What you saw happening in Yelwata yesterday is because we have taken over Apa, Gwer West, and are moving seriously in Agatu. They just want to do something to show that they are in control while they are not and will never be.
“Whatever is paining you is paining us more. We are here to protect lives and property. We have security everywhere now, even in Yelwata. There are tactical teams in the bush even before the attack.
“Give the special forces and tactical teams room to work. If you prolong your stay here, you are giving the enemies more time to plan. We have intelligence reports of their movement, and we are blocking them, and you will see the end result,” he said.