Hundreds of young men and women on Sunday staged in Makurdi, the Benue State capital to protest the killings of their people and rape of others by bandits and suspected herdsmen.

This is coming in defiance of the warning by the State Governor, Alia who earlier today, issued warning against protests in the state

The angry youths blocked the Abuja-Makurdi highway, expressing outrage over the continued killings in the state.

The demonstrators, dressed in black attires and carrying palm fronds and placards with various inscriptions, barricaded the ever-busy road, disrupting vehicular movement and demanding immediate action to end the bloodshed.

The governor of Benue state, Hyacinth Alia has warned youths in the state who planned to protest the incessant killings in Benue state to desist from doing so.

In a statement issued on Sunday morning by the governor’s chief press secretary, Tersoo Kulas said the government has Intelligence reports that the protesters planned to block the Makurdi bridge in North Bank.

Kulas said the governor was working with federal security agencies to bring the situation under Control and called on Benue indigenes to remain law abiding.

The statement reads:
“The attention of the Benue State Government has been drawn to credible intelligence indicating plans by certain groups of youths to stage a protest on today, Sunday, 15th June 2025, at various entry and exit points into Makurdi Metropolis, particularly the River Benue Bridge in North Bank.

“While Governor Hyacinth Alia acknowledges and shares in the grief and frustration caused by the recent security breaches and attacks on innocent communities by criminal elements suspected to be armed herdsmen, we wish to strongly caution against any form of protest that could obstruct public peace, disrupt economic activities, or endanger lives and property.

“We call on our youths to remain law-abiding and not allow themselves to be used by faceless individuals with ulterior motives. Intelligence available to us indicates that these protests may be exploited as a distraction for orchestrating further attacks on vulnerable communities. We therefore call for utmost vigilance and collective responsibility.

“The State Government is consistently engaging with Federal security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen security interventions and provide lasting solutions to these persistent attacks.

“We assure citizens that:

Additional security deployments are being arranged for vulnerable areas.

“Strategic community dialogues are ongoing to enhance active intelligence sharing.

“The government will not relent in its utmost commitment to defending the lives and properties of all residents.

“In the spirit of peace and unity, we call on religious, traditional, and political leaders across the state to sensitize and guide the youths under their influence against unlawful gatherings or confrontations that may spiral out of control.

“We appeal to the public to make use of official communication channels to report any suspicious activities and to stay informed through credible sources.

“Benue State remains committed to justice, peace, and security for all”.

Former Aviation Minister, Fani-Kayode, has commended Iran for standing up against Israel through the firing of several ballistic missiles, saying it was just the beginning.

He made the remarks in a statement in response to the current war between the two countries which was started by Israel which on Friday, killed several top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists in what it called Operation Rising Lion.

However, in a post on X on Friday, the ex-minister claimed that the Iranians were lured into a false sense of security by the United States while Israel was preparing for war.

Fani-Kayode said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has finally hit back and struck the Jewish state with missiles and drones. This was inevitable and it is just the beginning.

“The attack on Iran by Israel was not only unprovoked but is also a condemnable violation of international law. It is indeed a declaration of war.

“The Isrealis have not only targeted and bombed key Iranian infrastructures but they have also killed Iranian civilians, including women and children, and key Iranian military and civilian leaders and nuclear scientists.

“Israel has attacked Gaza, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and now Iran in the last one year.

“The attack on Iran was carried out whilst the Iranians were still in negotiations with the Americans. Simply put, the Iranians were lured into a false sense of security by the Americans whilst Isreal was preparing for war. This makes Americans complicit in this attack despite their denials.

“To those nations that say Israel felt sufficiently threatened by Iran and has a right to self-defence, I ask the following question: does Iran not have the same right after being attacked? Are the Iranians not entitled to defend themselves, too?

“Iran MUST and WILL retaliate and they will do so in a dramatic fashion. The retaliatory attack that Iran launched this evening is just the beginning and by the time this is all over there may be no Zionist state left.

“Worse still, the conflict could escalate beyond the Middle East. Those who bend the knee to the Isreali thugs and bullies and who believe that might is always right are nothing but cowards who fail to appreciate the fact that the beast that they are applauding will eventually turn on them, the former minister stated.