Police Shoot, Kill Final-Year Female Student During Stop-and-Search

A young woman identified as Ahenjir Emmanuella has reportedly been shot and killed by police officers during a stop-and-search operation in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The incident is said to have occurred in the early hours of Friday, May 16, 2025, at Wurukum Roundabout.

Emmanuella, believed to be a student of the Federal University Wukari, was allegedly hit by a bullet fired by officers attached to the E Division of the Benue State Police Command. The exact circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear as of the time of this report.

Benue-based activist Ukan Kurugh, who brought the incident to public attention via a Facebook post, accused the police of using lethal force against an unarmed civilian. According to his statement, the bullet 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,” Kurugh wrote. “The officers responsible must be identified and handed over 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.”