On Tuesday, hundreds of women in Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State took to the streets in a powerful demonstration against the ongoing violence plaguing their communities. The protest unfolded along the main road in Ugbokpo, the administrative center of Apa LGA, where the women voiced their deep sorrow and frustration over the relentless killings.
Many of the protesters lamented their new reality as widows, with numerous children left orphaned by the recent spate of attacks. Reports has it that villages including Ijaha Ikobi, Edikwu-Ankpali, and Odugbo have been repeatedly targeted, resulting in tragic loss of life.
Just last Sunday, a particularly brutal assault claimed the lives of 25 residents, intensifying the community’s grief and fear. The women, united under the banner “Voice of the Hopeless Women,” carried a letter that poignantly captured their suffering. It read in part: “We have been triggered by their entrance into our farms, homes, and rooms to kill and destroy our children, husbands, and dear loved ones, including fellow women.”
The letter further lamented, “Today, our children can hardly go to school, our lives are in danger, and our future is in shambles.” Placards bore messages such as “Stop killing our men,” “We are now widows, not by choice,” and “Enough is enough,” underscoring the urgency of their plea.
The protesters called on the Federal Government to intervene and halt the violence that has devastated their communities. Ada Ocholi, a local APC chieftain and legal practitioner, described the protest as “peaceful and timely, given the plight of innocent residents in the hands of suspected armed herders.”
Attempts to get a response from the Chairman of Apa Local Government, Adams Ocheiga, were unsuccessful. He declined to comment, stating, “Sorry, I’m not in the mood to talk to journalists now. Besides, I’m not in Apa at the moment, so I cannot confirm if there is any protest going on.”
