•The protesters
Women of Agan community, in the North Bank area of Makurdi Local Government Area (LGA), of Benue State today took to the Makurdi – Lafia, federal highway in protest to the unabated killing of their loved ones.
The women who blocked the highway were also protesting what it described as the arbitrary arrest of its youths, who have allegedly been labelled criminals by security agents, for the purpose of arrest, reports Daily Independent.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Command of the Nigeria Police has warned members of the public from engaging in any form of protests, claiming that it would distract the police from its ongoing clearance operations across communities of the state.
The Command handed down the warning in a statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi today by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), of the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Udeme Edet.
However, one of the protesting women, Nguyan Afatyo, who spoke with our correspondent decried the situation where they were being killed by armed herdsmen, while the police and other sister agencies were arresting their youth.
The protester who likened the situation to rubbing it on them, alleged that over 50 of their youth were arrested in one fell swoop, thus ridding the communities of able-bodied men that would be in the position to protect their communities in the event of any mishap.
Another source observed that for about four weeks running women, some breast feeding mothers in the Agan community have had sleepless nights, pacing the Makurdi–Lafia, road every day from dusk to dawn over fears of imminent attacks of the community.
However, in the statement issued by the Benue Police Command, the police spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, warned against holding any form of procession that may eventually be hijacked by hoodlums.
According to her, “The Benue Sate Police command is currently carrying out operations across the state to clampdown on criminals and ensure the safety of lives and property. These operations are gradually yielding results as evident in the arrest of suspects and destruction of criminal hideouts around Apa, Guma, Gwer-west, Sankera axis and other areas.
“As part of support for operatives in the field, members of the public are requested to avail the police with useful information rather than distract the police ongoing focused clearance operations with any form of protest.
“Assembling people for protests at this time is distracting the police from engaging criminals as logistic attention will shift to protection of protesters thereby creating room for criminality to continue thriving. Also, such an assembly could be hijacked by hoodlums to perpetuate mayhem.
“The command recognises every inconvenience experienced by the good people of Benue state and is committed to this clearance operation that will create lasting peace. We are at the last stages of the operation. These police operations are in synergy with all sister security agencies in the state and with the support of the state government and other security stakeholders within and outside the state.
“Members of the public are therefore warned to desist from assembling themselves to join any form of protest that will endanger the lives and cause unnecessary distractions to the ongoing police operations.
“The good people of Benue state are encouraged to support all police operations in their communities as security is everybody’s responsibility”, the PPRO appealed.
