By Attah Ede
Thousands of students from the University of Jos, on Friday, staged a peaceful solidarity walk to protest the ongoing massacres of innocent people in Benue communities and other parts of North-Central.
The demonstration was a collective cry against what organisers described as “ethnic cleansing,” “land grabbing,” and the systemic targeting of farming communities in the region.
The protest began at 10:00 AM at the Permanent Site Main Gate of the University of Jos (Naraguta Campus, Permanent Site), which attracted many students and members of the public who dressed in black to symbolise mourning for the victims.
The protesters displayed placards and chanted solidarity songs demanding justice, safety, and an end to the violence.
The peaceful walk was organised in collaboration with the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS).
It was officially announced through a memo jointly signed by the union’s President, Kangyang J. Pwajok, and Secretary, Dauda Jonathan Shupkuk.
In the memo, the student leaders condemned the wave of killings across Benue, Plateau, and other states in the North-Central geopolitical zone, particularly the recent massacre in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 200 people were killed.
“It is with deep sorrow and grave concern that we address the ongoing, repeated killings across Benue, Plateau, and other parts of North-Central Nigeria. 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 and join the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS) in a peaceful solidarity walk. This is not just a protest; it is a powerful message to the nation: Enough is enough.
“We particularly condemn the recent massacre in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area, where over 200 innocent lives were brutally taken. We walk to mourn, to speak out, and to stand together in the face of injustice—because an injury to one is an injury to all.
“We encourage everyone to wear black as a symbol of our collective grief and dismay over these tragic events.
“Let us march in unity, in peace, and in strength—demanding safety, justice, and a Nigeria where all lives matter.”
The protest drew further support from the Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM), whose members joined the march with banners bearing slogans such as “Stop Killing Farmers!”, “Land Reform and Nationalisation of Ranching Reserves!”, and “Mass Mobilisation and Nonviolent Resistance to End Attacks on Farming Communities.”
