Police fire teargas at Benue state residents protesting insecurity

The police in Benue State have allegedly teargassed and dispersed residents protesting the insecurity in the state following the killing of more than 100 people by terrorists who invaded Yelwata town of Guma Local Government Area Friday night.

Penpushing reports that an eyewitness account said the protesters blocked the Lafia-Makurdi highway, in protest against the terrorists, believed to be Fulani militia, who had earlier besieged the town’s market square and macheted many people, as well as razed properties worth millions of Naira.

The protesters, were seen clad in black dresses, waving leaves and chanting and spread to Markudi the state capital, with no record of violence but armed with placards with various inscriptions.

Penpushing further reports that the latest attack in Benue began barely two weeks after the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, moved to Benue State to stem the violence in the state.

The Lieutenant-General arrived in the state with some top military officers, held a closed-door meeting with Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House in Makurdi, and thereafter visited some affected communities.

Penpushing also reports that the Benue State Police Command Public Relations Officer Udeme Edet, when contacted said she was not aware of the protest, however, promised to follow up with the situation and revert.

The Governor in his reactions on Sunday, said the federal government has deployed tactical security teams to the state to check the attack on communities, assuring that more operatives have started arriving the state.

“We assure citizens that more tactical teams have started arriving in Benue from the federal government, and additional security deployments are being arranged for vulnerable areas,” he said in a statement by his spokesperson.

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