Protesters
Hundreds of irate youths from the Sarkin Noma community in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Friday took to the streets, blocking the busy Makurdi highway to protest what they described as endless kidnapping and violent attacks by armed men.
Armed with placards and palm fronds, the demonstrators barricaded the road for several hours, halting vehicular movement until the State Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro-Mohammed, arrived at the scene and persuaded them to clear the route to allow traffic flow.
Speaking with journalists, a youth leader, Mr. Ogu Iliya, said the protest was to draw government attention to the “constant torment” faced by the community and to demand urgent security intervention.
According to Iliya, the latest attack occurred in the early hours of November 7, when about 50 armed men invaded the area, firing sporadically and abducting an elderly man, Mr. Matthew Anzaku.
> “The gunmen terrorising us always attack any resident who goes to the market to sell his or her farm produce,” Iliya lamented. “They kidnap people and demand ransom before releasing them. It has become unbearable, and the elderly man taken last night is still missing — we don’t know his condition.”
He added that the youths had mobilized to confront the attackers in an attempt to rescue the victim, but the effort ended tragically as two young men were shot dead during the clash.
In anger, the protesters reportedly placed the bodies of the deceased victims on the highway, demanding justice and the government’s intervention.
Reacting to the incident, Rahman Nansel, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed that officers led by the Commissioner of Police had since restored calm to the area.
Nansel assured residents that the police were investigating the series of kidnappings and promised that those behind the attacks would be brought to justice.
(NAN)
