In the early hours of today, officers of the Nigeria Police Force Benue State Police Command, Makurdi E Division, tragically shot and killed an innocent young girl
There is growing outrage in Benue State following the tragic death of a young woman, Ahenjir Emmanuella, who was allegedly shot and killed by officers attached to the Makurdi E Division of the Benue State Police Command in the early hours of Friday, May 16, 2025.
The fatal incident reportedly occurred at the Wurukum Roundabout in Makurdi, the state capital. Emmanuella, who was said to be a student of Federal University Wukari, in Taraba State, was inside a vehicle when the police allegedly opened fire under circumstances that remain unclear at the time of this report.
Eyewitness accounts are still sketchy, but a prominent Benue-based social activist, Ukan Kurugh, took to Facebook to raise alarm over the killing. In his post, Kurugh claimed that a bullet fired by one of the police officers pierced through the vehicle Emmanuella was in, fatally striking her.
“Enough is Enough: End Police Brutality in Benue State Before We Rise To The Challenge. In the early hours of today, officers of the Nigeria Police Force Benue State Police Command, Makurdi E Division, tragically shot and killed an innocent young girl. The incident occurred at Wurukum Roundabout, where a bullet fired by the police pierced through the vehicle she was in,” Kurugh wrote.
He added, “We are not asking for much, only justice. The officers responsible must be identified and handed over to the state command for immediate and transparent investigation. Lives must not continue to be lost at the hands of those sworn to protect us. This must end now.”
The circumstances leading to the shooting have not yet been confirmed by law enforcement, and no official police statement has been issued at the time of filing this report. However, the incident has already sparked public outrage on social media and within civil society, with calls for justice and accountability gaining momentum.
Rights groups, student bodies, and concerned citizens have joined Kurugh in demanding an immediate and independent investigation into the shooting, insisting that the officers involved be suspended from active duty and subjected to due process.
The tragic incident also revives the national debate around police brutality and the need for police reform in Nigeria, an issue that came to international prominence during the #EndSARS movement in 2020. Many are now questioning whether the lessons from that movement have been implemented or simply ignored.
As of now, Emmanuella’s family is yet to release a formal statement, but friends and fellow students have expressed deep shock and grief over the senseless loss of a promising young life. A candlelight vigil is reportedly being planned in her honour.
The public now awaits a response from the Benue State Police Command as pressure mounts for a transparent inquiry and justice for Emmanuella.
