Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the troubled Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) following a violent protest by youths in the area. The protest erupted after bandits killed 11 residents in the area on Tuesday night.
The angry youths stormed the council secretariat in Zaki Biam, the headquarters of the Ukum LGA, destroying properties and setting the local government secretariat ablaze. The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the LG was also torched.
The curfew, which takes effect immediately, will be in place for 24 hours until July 4, 3 pm, and thereafter from 6 pm to 6 am daily until further notice. The government's decision aims to restore peace and order in the area and prevent further destruction of lives and properties.
The Benue State Government has condemned the violence and expressed sympathy to the families of the victims. Security agencies have been deployed to the area to maintain law and order, and an investigation into the incident has been launched. The government has appealed to the youths to remain calm and peaceful, assuring them that justice will be served. The situation is being closely monitored, and efforts are being made to ensure the return of normalcy to the area.