Apa community in Benue State, Nigeria was rocked by protests on Friday as residents expressed their frustration and anger over the spate of killings by suspected herdsmen, Naijnaira reports.
The protest, which was led by many youths, saw them take to the Oweto-Loko/Abuja Road, where they erected roadblocks, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
The protesters decried the lack of action from the Nigerian government in curbing the activities of the herdsmen who have been responsible for several attacks in the community.
According to the residents, over 100 people have been killed or injured in the community by these terrorists, with a traditional chief being the latest victim whose hand was reportedly chopped off.
In a bid to draw attention to their plight, the protesters insisted that they would not open the road until either President Muhammadu Buhari or Governor Samuel Ortom addressed their grievances.
They called on the government to take decisive action to stop the attacks and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The protest comes in the wake of renewed violence in several parts of Nigeria, with the herdsmen and other criminal elements being blamed for the killings.
This has led to calls for the government to take urgent steps to restore peace and security in the affected areas.
Reacting to the protest, Governor Ortom expressed his sympathy for the residents of Apa community, noting that he had already directed security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the culprits.
He called on the protesters to remain calm and assured them that the government was working round the clock to address the security challenges in the state.
The governor also urged the federal government to take a more proactive approach in tackling the menace of the herdsmen and other criminal elements, stressing that the situation had reached a critical point and needed urgent attention.
Meanwhile, security operatives have been deployed to the area to restore order and ensure the safety of commuters.
The protesters have since dispersed, but the roadblocks and resulting traffic gridlock caused considerable inconvenience to travelers.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
