Thursday, October 2, 2025 - As Nigerians marked Independence Day yesterday with celebrations, parts of Benue State were gripped by anger and violence as protesting youths set fire to the home of a traditional ruler following the alleged extra-judicial killing of a man by soldiers.
The residence of His Royal Highness Simon Baver, the Mue Ter
Ichongo of Turan in Kwande Local Council, was razed by an angry mob who vented
their fury on what they saw as a symbol of authority closest to them.
The unrest was triggered by an incident on Monday when
Nigerian Army personnel stationed in Jato Aka, a community hosting many
internally displaced persons, allegedly opened fire on a group of mourners
returning from the burial of Chief Hanave Laha, the Kindred Head of Nzaav.
An eyewitness, Iorkohol Asemave, told The Guardian that one
man, identified as Mr Iorsuur, was hit by a bullet and died instantly. A
student of Government Science Secondary School, Jato Aka, identified as Iorfa,
was also struck but survived with injuries. He was taken to NKST General
Hospital, Jato Aka, where he is receiving treatment.
Witnesses further alleged that soldiers removed Iorsuur’s
body from the scene and took it to an undisclosed location.
When contacted for comment, the Public Relations Officer of
the Special Forces, Captain Abdullahi Lawal Osabo, said he was on leave at the
time of the incident and could not speak on the matter. Calls to the Police
Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, and the Director-General of the
Bureau for Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (rtd), were not
answered.
Residents of Jato Aka told The Guardian that commercial
activities in the town had ground to a halt as heavily armed soldiers patrolled
the streets in gun trucks.
As of press time, the Benue State government had yet to
issue an official statement on the incident .
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