Tension erupted in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, on Tuesday as hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staged a massive protest, blocking a major highway in both directions and disrupting vehicular movement for several hours.
The angry protesters — comprising men, women, and children — carried placards and chanted “We want to go back home!” as they poured onto the road to draw attention to their plight.
According to eyewitnesses, the IDPs, who have been living in camps for years after being displaced by persistent attacks from suspected Fulani herdsmen, say they are tired of empty promises and government silence over their resettlement.
Many of them lamented worsening living conditions in the camps, lack of basic amenities, and what they described as “total abandonment” by both the state and federal governments.
One of the protesters, a middle-aged woman with her baby strapped to her back, told reporters:
> “We have been suffering for years. Our children are not going to school. We don’t have food. We are tired of staying in the camp like animals. We want to go back to our homes!”
Motorists and commuters were caught in the protest gridlock for hours, with some forced to turn back or seek alternative routes.
Local authorities were yet to release an official statement at the time of filing this report, but security operatives were seen on the ground trying to calm tensions and restore order.
The protesters vowed to continue blocking the road until government officials come forward with concrete plans for their safe return and resettlement.
This protest highlights the growing frustration among IDPs in Benue and across Nigeria, many of whom have spent years in displacement without durable solutions to their crises.
