Vehicular movement was disrupted on the Benue–Nasarawa highway on Tuesday as some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staged a protest along the Yelwata axis, demanding immediate return to their ancestral homes.

The protesters, chanting slogans such as “We want to go back home,” blocked parts of the busy highway, drawing attention to what they described as years of neglect and hardship in overcrowded IDP camps.

Many of the displaced persons, who have remained in temporary shelters for several years following attacks on their communities, expressed frustration over the government’s delay in restoring security to their homelands.

“We have suffered enough. We want to return to our homes and farms,” one of the protesters told reporters at the scene.

The protest led to significant disruption, stranding hundreds of motorists and passengers.

According to eyewitnesses, displaced persons many of whom have endured years in overcrowded IDP camps are voicing deep frustration over the government’s delay in restoring security to their communities.

“We’ve endured too much. We’re eager to go back to our homes and farms,” one protester informed reporters at the scene.

Security personnel were reportedly dispatched to oversee the situation and avert any escalation, although tensions remained high at the time of reporting.

Attempts to contact the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant authorities for comments were unsuccessful.