The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 14 suspects following a violent turn of events during a protest in Makurdi on Sunday, which led to the gruesome death of a truck driver who was burnt alive.
According to the Command, what began as a peaceful demonstration by youths at the Wurukum Roundabout in Makurdi over recent killings in the state, was hijacked by hoodlums who escalated the situation into a full-blown crisis.
Police spokesperson, SP Catherine Udeme Edet, disclosed the development in a statement issued to journalists. She noted that while the right to peaceful assembly is constitutionally guaranteed, all protests must remain lawful and non-violent.
The statement read in part:
“Some criminal elements took advantage of the protest to unleash violence. At Apir, along the outskirts of Makurdi, a group of hoodlums blocked the road, intercepted a moving truck, and set it ablaze. Tragically, the driver was trapped inside the vehicle and burnt to death.”
In response to the escalating unrest, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, alongside the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Barr. John Ode, visited the protest scene in an attempt to de-escalate tensions.
“The crowd, however, turned hostile and attempted to attack the Deputy Governor,” the police statement continued. “Our officers acted swiftly, employing non-lethal crowd control measures including smoke canisters and water dispersal to contain the situation and evacuate the Deputy Governor safely. No injuries were recorded during the intervention.”
The police have since arrested 14 individuals suspected to be involved in the violence and arson, and assured the public that investigations are ongoing to apprehend all those responsible.
The Command urged members of the public to conduct protests within the confines of the law and resist the infiltration of criminal elements.
“We call on citizens to remain peaceful and law-abiding. Violent demonstrations only serve to undermine the very cause being advocated,” the statement added.
