Benue: Protests March rocks APa LGA over herdsmen killings, abductions

Idibia Gabriel Kaduna

Protest March, mostly women has rocked APa LGA of Benue zone 3 Benue state over attacks, killings and abduction of villagers including toddlers by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

A statement released yesterday stressed that “There is an ongoing protest march sweeping through Apah Local Government Area of Benue State, on Tuesday.

It added that hundreds of women under the banner of “Voice of the Hopeless Women” took to the streets protest in a peaceful but emotionally charged demonstration against the escalating killings by the suspected Fulani herdsmen in their communities.

In a letter titled “Notification of a Peaceful Demonstration”, addressed to the local authorities, the group expressed deep anguish over what they also described as relentless and targeted attacks on their families, homes, and farmlands.

The letter, signed by the bereaved women of Apa and endorsed by the Hunter Group of “NIE”, Apa Chapter, was sent to the Chairman of Apa LGA, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Civil Defence, Volunteer Guard, and traditional and religious leaders.

“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 reads in part. “Today, our children can hardly go to school, our lives are in danger, our future in shambles.”

“This protest follows the Sunday killing in Ankpali Edikwu, also in Apa LGA, where armed men reportedly stormed homes in broad daylight, brutally killing residents in what witnesses described as a deliberate and savage attack”, it stated.

Eyewitness accounts revealed that the victims were not caught in crossfire but hunted down in their own houses, a pattern increasingly being reported in the region.

As this story unfolds, sources confirm ongoing demonstrations across the LGA, with reports of new attacks in Odugbo, where gunshots were reportedly heard in the early hours of today, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

The palpable fear and tension are compounded by a perceived silence from both state and federal authorities, which many residents say has emboldened the attackers, it stated.

“Even in the North East where Boko Haram operates, they don’t go into people’s homes to slaughter them like animals,” one protester lamented. “But in Ankpali and other parts of Apa, Fulani herdsmen go from house to house, butchering people in such dehumanizing and cruel manners.”

There is a growing sentiment in Apa that “the government’s silence is too golden and complicit,” as no high-profile official has sincerely and publicly condemned the recent atrocities. This has fueled suspicion of neglect or indifference, with civil society groups and women’s associations now demanding concrete action”.

The protesters carrying placards with messages such as “Stop Killing Our Men”, “We Are Widows Not by Choice”, and “Enough is Enough”, are calling for an immediate deployment of security personnel, a government investigation, and relief for affected families.

Meanwhile the Ochetoha K’Idoma National Forum, the local body, has expressed its profound outrage and deep sorrow over the recent violent attack on the Edikwu Ankpali community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected herdsmen.

The local body described the action as heinous act, which has claimed several lives including toddler and resulted in the abduction of some residents from the nearby Ijaha community, is a grave violation of the peace and security of our law-abiding people.

A statement on Monday by President General Prof. Yakubu Aboki Ochefu and Secretary General, Chief Dr. Paul Edeh Esq
stated that “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims in Edikwu Ankpali and the surrounding communities, particularly those who have lost loved ones in this senseless act of violence.

“We also pray for strength and comfort for the abducted residents and their families during this harrowing time.

“Ochetoha K’Idoma is deeply troubled by the escalating frequency and brutality of these attacks, which have now extended to Edikwu Ankpali near Ugbokpo, the headquarters of Apa LGA.

“This latest assault, occurring along Edikwu Road, follows a disturbing pattern of violence against the Idoma people, as previously highlighted in our correspondences to His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, on 4th October 2024 and 20th March 2025.

“Despite these urgent calls for intervention, the lack of decisive action by security agencies charged with the constitutional mandate to protect lives and properties has emboldened the perpetrators, leaving our communities increasingly vulnerable.

“We reiterate our condemnation of the incessant herder invasions of Idoma land, a crisis that has persisted since the 2010 and 2016 Agatu massacre and continues to devastate our people.

“Entire villages have been razed, families displaced, and livelihoods destroyed, yet the victims continue to face inexcusable neglect. “The ongoing violence, compounded by the recent surge in kidnappings, has plunged our communities into paralyzing fear, with the heartland of Idoma Nation bearing the brunt of this terror.

“In the wake of these relentless attacks, the Idoma Area Traditional Council (IATC), led by the Och’Idoma, HRM Dr. John Odogbo, also issued a press statement following an emergency meeting with LG Council Chairmen in Idoma land, and expressed grief over the tragic loss of lives and ordered all Fulani herdsmen to vacate farmlands in the zone to enable farmers to resume agricultural activities without threat or intimidation.

“This directive, which aligns with Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition Law called for increased security patrols, deployment of additional personnel to vulnerable areas, and conflict resolution training to deter future violence”, the release stated.

It added that “Ochetoha K’Idoma fully supports the IATC’s resolution and echoes their call for the federal and state governments to demonstrate the political will to implement these measures”.