Benue Youth Protest Turns Tense as Police Say Protesters Attempted to Attack Deputy Governor

The Benue State Police Command has claimed that the group of protesting youths in Makurdi on Sunday allegedly tried to confront the Deputy Governor of the state, Barrister John Ode, during a tense demonstration that followed a deadly massacre.

LMSINT MEDIA confirmed that hundreds of concerned young residents flooded the streets of Makurdi to protest the unending wave of killings attributed to armed Fulani herders, which have ravaged many communities across Benue State.

The protest was sparked by the horrifying massacre in Yelewata, a community in the Guma Local Government Area, where approximately 250 people reportedly lost their lives in an overnight attack.

During the demonstration at Wurukum Roundabout, police officers deployed tear gas in an attempt to disperse the enraged crowd. Scenes from the protest showed a heavy security presence using crowd control tactics to manage the situation.

Providing more insight into the events, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, explained that the Deputy Governor had approached the gathering with the intention of speaking to the youth. However, the crowd reportedly rejected any attempt at dialogue.

In a press release issued on Monday, the PPRO stated that the demonstration was “taken over by hostile elements who allegedly attempted to physically confront the Deputy Governor.”

He further clarified that officers acted promptly, employing non-lethal crowd dispersal techniques—such as water cannons and smoke—to secure the area and ensure the Deputy Governor was escorted away without harm.

The police confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were recorded during the intervention.