Benue Protesters Take Victims’ Bodies to Och’Idoma’s Palace After Fresh Killings
Angry residents of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State on Sunday marched to the palace of the Och’Idoma, His Royal Majesty Agabaidu Elaigwu John Odogbo, carrying the bodies of victims killed in the latest attacks on communities in the area.
The protest followed separate attacks by suspected armed herders on two communities in Otukpo, where more than 10 people were reportedly killed.
The fresh violence has heightened tension across Benue South and renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect vulnerable communities.
Eyewitnesses said the demonstrators, mostly youths and grieving community members, carried the victims’ bodies to the royal palace as a symbol of their frustration over the recurring attacks and what they described as the failure of authorities to halt the killings.
The protesters appealed to the Benue State Government, the Federal Government and security agencies to take urgent steps to end the persistent violence, insisting that residents can no longer live or farm without fear of being attacked.
Some of the demonstrators lamented that communities have continued to suffer repeated assaults, leaving families displaced, livelihoods destroyed and many residents living in constant fear.
“How long will this continue? Will a man escape from his own ancestral land? We have lost hope in our politicians,” some of the protesters were heard saying during the demonstration.
The latest killings add to a series of violent attacks that have affected several parts of Benue State in recent years.
Communities across the state have repeatedly called for improved security and lasting solutions to the violence, which has claimed many lives and displaced thousands of residents.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not issued an official statement on the latest attacks, while the affected communities continued to mourn those who lost their lives.
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