GOV. ALIA ORDERS POLICE, THUGS TO DISPERSE PROTESTERS AT WURUKUM OVER FULANI KILLINGS IN BENUE Says arrival of Verydarkman is a ploy by Abuja politicians to provoke a state of emergency

Says arrival of Verydarkman is a ploy by Abuja politicians to provoke a state of emergency

Makurdi, Benue State – June 15, 2025

Governor Hyacinth Alia, has ordered the Commissioner of Police and heads of security agencies in Benue State to, by any means necessary, disperse the ongoing protest at Wurukum in Makurdi, where hundreds of angry residents took to the streets to demand an end to the continuous killings of their people by Fulani herdsmen.

The order was swiftly executed with a joint force of security operatives and armed thugs chanting “No Alia No Benue” led by Terver Gbenda, who was recently appointed State Youth Leader and currently serves as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation and Illegal Levies.

The protesters, largely youth and women, were seen carrying placards, chanting, and demanding action from the state government over the unending bloodshed that has gripped Yelewata and communities in Guma, Logo, Ukum, Kwande, Agatu, Buruku and several others.

Eyewitnesses say the protest was peaceful until security personnel arrived and began firing tear gas and shooting live rounds into the air to disperse the crowd, leading to chaos, injuries, and several arrests, but protesters still remain adamant in confrontation with police.

In a statement attributed to Governor Alia, he claimed the protest was not a genuine outcry but a sponsored plot by politicians in Abuja to destabilize his government and force a state of emergency in Benue, Alia previously accused members of the National Assembly and Religious Leaders in the state for housing and feeding the attackers.

He further stated that the presence of popular social media activist VeryDarkMan in the state is part of a larger plan to embarrass him before the President, saying, “I am the Governor of Benue State now and so it shall always be.”

However, in a leaked phone conversation, one of his top aides, Fidelis Unongo, who serves as Special Adviser to the Governor, expressed frustration at the decision to suppress the protesters, insisting that people should be allowed to vent their genuine anger.

The protest was triggered by the fresh wave of attacks by Fulani herdsmen, which have left scores dead and entire villages displaced. Residents have accused the Alia-led administration of abandoning its responsibility to protect lives and communities.

One of the protesters, speaking shortly before he was picked up by plain-clothed operatives, said, “Benue people must be protected before they get killed even more by the very man they elected to protect them.”

As of the time of filing this report, Wurukum and surrounding areas remain under heavy security presence. The situation is tense and fast developing.