Protests rock Benue over herdsmen attacks

A large-scale protest has erupted in Otukpo, Benue South Senatorial District, as residents express their outrage over worsening insecurity in the region.

Otukpo, the headquarters of the Idoma people, consists of seven Local Government Areas and serves as a strategic gateway to Enugu in the east and Lafia in the north.

Angry youths have reportedly barricaded major roads leading in and out of the town, causing severe traffic gridlock. Security operatives have been seen pleading with the protesters to remove the barricades and restore free movement.

The unrest follows a series of deadly attacks by suspected herdsmen in Agatu, Ado, Okpokwu, Otukpo, and Ogbadigbo Local Government Areas. These violent incidents have led to loss of lives and destruction of properties worth millions of naira.