Source: Daily Trust | Date: June 16, 2025 | Location: Makurdi, Benue State
Residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, took to the streets in a massive protest on Monday, calling for the resignation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what they described as “unbearable economic hardship and growing insecurity” in the country.
Chanting solidarity songs and holding placards that read “Tinubu Must Go,” “We Can’t Breathe,” and “Hunger is Killing Us,” the demonstrators marched from Wadata Market through the High-Level area to the Government House Roundabout, attracting the attention of both local and national media.
The protest, organized by a coalition of civil society groups and youth organizations under the banner Benue Citizens for Justice, marks one of the boldest public rejections of the Tinubu administration in recent months.
Speaking to journalists, Comrade Terkimbi Aondofa, one of the protest leaders, said:
“We are tired of empty promises. Prices of food have tripled, our people can’t afford fuel, and kidnapping is now a daily affair. Tinubu must resign if he cannot lead us out of this suffering!”
Several market women and artisans also joined the protest, lamenting that their businesses have collapsed under the burden of inflation, removal of fuel subsidies, and weak purchasing power.
Security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were present to maintain order. While the protest remained largely peaceful, there were tense moments when protesters tried to block the Old Bridge leading out of Makurdi.
Reacting to the development, the Benue State Police Command confirmed the protest and assured the public that investigations would be carried out to ensure it was conducted within legal bounds.
The presidency is yet to issue an official response as of press time.
