The Benue State Police Command has apprehended 14 individuals involved in hijacking a peaceful youth protest in Makurdi, the state capital, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. According to a statement from the command’s spokesperson, Udeme Edet, the suspects disrupted the demonstration by obstructing a roadway in Apir, a suburb of Makurdi, where they forcibly stopped a truck and set it on fire with the driver still trapped inside. The driver’s identity remains unknown.
The statement, made available to journalists on Sunday, emphasized the police’s commitment to prosecuting those responsible. “Investigations are ongoing to apprehend other culprits and instigators behind the violence,” Edet said.
The protest initially began at Wurukum Roundabout, where youths gathered to voice grievances over recent security challenges in Benue State. The police acknowledged the right to peaceful protest but stressed the importance of maintaining lawfulness and non-violence during such demonstrations.
Upon receiving intelligence about the protest, tactical police units were deployed to monitor the situation. Benue State Commissioner of Police, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, alongside Deputy Governor Barr. John Ode, visited the protest site to engage with demonstrators and appeal for calm. However, the crowd refused to be addressed, and the protest was soon overtaken by disruptive elements who even attempted to attack the deputy governor.
In response, police used non-lethal crowd control methods, including smoke and water cannons, to safely evacuate the deputy governor without any reported casualties or injuries.
Tragically, later in the day, a separate group sympathetic to the protest blocked a road in Apir, where they stopped and set ablaze a truck with the driver trapped inside. The police have condemned these violent acts and reiterated their support for lawful civic engagement.
“We commend the responsible conduct of peaceful protesters and assure the public of our unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and security across the State,” the statement concluded.
