Tension gripped Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State on Saturday after angry residents from Achakpa community staged a massive protest over a deadly attack by suspected armed herdsmen that claimed several lives.
Hundreds of protesters barricaded the busy Makurdi–Abuja highway at the Garba–Atson–Abagena IDP camp axis, leaving motorists stranded for hours.
The demonstrators, wielding placards and tree branches, chanted solidarity songs and vowed not to vacate the road until authorities take decisive action against the attackers.
The assault, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday along the North Bank–Lafia road, left at least three people dead. The victims included farmer Tor Felafa, his son, and Mr. Francis Kulegwa, a senior choirmaster at Daudu Mission in the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi.
Community sources said the victims were ambushed on their farms, a method the assailants allegedly used after closely monitoring farming activities in the area. Several villagers were also abducted, while others narrowly escaped. Many residents remain unaccounted for.
Benue State, often referred to as Nigeria’s “Food Basket,” has long been a hotspot for violent clashes between farmers and herders, resulting in deaths, displacement, and destruction of farmlands.
Local leaders have repeatedly called for stronger government intervention to protect vulnerable rural communities from such attacks.
As of press time, neither the Benue State Government nor the police had released an official statement on the incident or the ongoing protest.
