Yelwata, a border community in Benue State, was thrown into chaos on Monday as angry residents barricaded the busy Makurdi–Lafia expressway with the corpses of victims allegedly killed in fresh attacks.
The protest, led largely by women, followed what locals described as “unending killings” in the area. The demonstrators accused security personnel stationed in the community of failing to protect them, and demanded that soldiers be withdrawn to their barracks.
Eyewitnesses told TNG that the blockade brought traffic to a standstill, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours. Villagers, chanting solidarity songs, insisted that they would not reopen the road until the Benue State Governor came in person to address their grievances.
“They brought the remains of their people and placed them on the road to stop movement,” a resident said. “Military helicopters are hovering overhead, soldiers and police are everywhere, but the protesters are adamant. They say the soldiers must leave before they end the protest.”
The demonstrators are also calling for urgent evacuation from the community to Makurdi, saying they no longer feel safe in their homes.
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