University of Jos Students Protest Benue Massacres, Demand End to Killings in North-Central Nigeria
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| University of Jos |
Students of the University of Jos staged a solemn but powerful solidarity march on Friday, condemning the ongoing mass killings and violent attacks ravaging Benue and other parts of North-Central Nigeria.
Dressed in black to mourn the victims, scores of students and concerned citizens gathered at the Naraguta Campus (Permanent Site) of the university, demanding justice and immediate action to halt the bloodshed. The peaceful protest, which began at 10:00 AM at the P-Site Main Gate, echoed with chants and placards carrying bold messages: “Enough is enough,” “Stop killing farmers,” and “All lives matter.”
Organised in partnership with the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS), the demonstration was described by its organisers as a stand against “ethnic cleansing,” “land grabbing,” and the targeted decimation of farming communities in the region.
A memo announcing the protest—jointly signed by NUBESS President Kangyang J. Pwajok and Secretary Dauda Jonathan Shupkuk—condemned what it called a systematic campaign of violence in Benue, Plateau, and other North-Central states. The statement referenced the recent massacre in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 200 villagers were reportedly slain.
> “It is with deep sorrow and grave concern that we address the repeated killings across Benue, Plateau, and other parts of North-Central Nigeria,” the memo read.
“These violent acts have claimed the lives of our parents, our peers, and the very future of our nation — the youth. In the face of this tragedy, we rise in unity. This is not just a protest; it is a declaration that we will no longer be silent. We walk to mourn, to speak out, and to demand change.”
Protesters were urged to wear black in a symbolic show of collective grief and resistance. The march drew support from several advocacy groups, most notably the Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM), whose members joined in with banners calling for urgent systemic reforms.
Their slogans included:
“Stop Killing Farmers!”
“Land Reform and Nationalisation of Ranching Reserves!”
“Establish Community-Based Workers’ and Farmers’ Guards!”
“Mass Mobilisation and Nonviolent Resistance Now!”
The RSM also issued a strong statement condemning the capitalist structures they believe fuel insecurity and inequality, calling on Nigeria’s working class to unite against division, exploitation, and violence.
The University of Jos protest is the latest in a series of growing public outcries over the insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, as communities continue to demand decisive government action, justice for victims, and long-term peace.
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