Members of the Benue Motorcycle Association (BEMA) have reported that 37 of their members have been killed by armed herdsmen, who have also stolen 67 motorcycles from them along the Makurdi-Naka Federal Highway over the past eight weeks.
In response to these attacks, BEMA members, alongside the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) from Gwer West Local Government Area (LGA), staged a protest to demand immediate action from both the federal and state governments.
They are calling for decisive steps to end the violence on the highway and to protect local communities affected by the herdsmen’s activities.
The protesters, who occupied the road for several hours, carried placards with messages such as “Stop the killings of our members,” “Government, please come to our aid,” and “Fix Makurdi-Naka Road to end these attacks.”
The demonstration was sparked by the recent murder of a yet-to-be-identified primary school teacher, who was killed by suspected armed herdsmen on the same stretch of road, and his motorcycle was stolen.
Mathew Kwaghza, the Naka Branch Chairman of BEMA, expressed the association’s frustration, saying, “In the last two months, 37 of our members have been killed by armed herdsmen, and over 67 motorcycles have been stolen. These motorcycles are how we provide for our families.”
Kwaghza urged the government to repair the Makurdi-Naka road and increase security along it to ensure the safety of commuters.
Numba Tyogema, the Branch Chairman of NURTW, also condemned the attacks and highlighted the safety concerns of road users, stating, “The persistent attacks have forced us to advise our members to take longer, alternative routes for safety until the government intervenes.”
In addition to the motorcyclists, some local community members joined the protest, burning fire on the road to express their anger over the ongoing insecurity.