Daily lens
Tension gripped Benue State on Saturday as enraged residents blocked the busy Makurdi–Lafia highway to protest the killing of five people by suspected herdsmen.
The victims, who were reportedly ambushed while heading to their farms on the outskirts of Makurdi near the Guma border, were killed in separate attacks between Friday and early Saturday. Eyewitnesses said two people were murdered near Tse Adaa village in Guma on Friday, while three more were slain in Abagena and Atsom communities in Makurdi the following morning.
In a dramatic show of anger, protesters placed the bodies of three victims across the federal highway, demanding immediate government action to stop the bloodshed.
Travellers were left stranded for hours, with many sharing live videos of the blockade on social media. One commuter, John Ogi, confirmed that security operatives were on the ground, working to disperse the crowd and restore movement.
Benue police spokesperson, SP Udeme Edet, confirmed the killings, describing them as attacks on farmers en route to their fields.
The chilling demonstration has heightened fears of escalating violence, with protesters insisting the state governor must personally address their grievances before they clear the road.
