Ms Victoria Ojeme, a reporter with Vanguard newspaper, has raised the alarm over threats to her life by unknown persons after she spoke out about the killings of her kinsmen in a bloody communal crisis. She has called on the Police authorities to give her protection from those threatening her.
Ms Ojeme had in February this year raised the alarm over the crisis in her community following the bloody clashes between the people of Mbarvu and Mbasombo communities in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State that claimed the lives of many including those of her loved ones.
She pointed out that the threats to her life heightened immediately after the story of the atrocities in her hometown of Benue was published.
She had called for an end to the crisis, which led to the sacking of communities and displacement of the people from their ancestral homes over disputed farmlands.
She noted that some unknown persons who have not been comfortable with her outbursts and outcries have been sending messages to threaten her.
Narrating her experience in a statement on May 8, 2024, in Abuja, she said she reported the matter to the police, after an unknown person sent her a message informing her that they know where she lives in Abuja and that they were coming for her soon.
She stated that she no longer feels safe living in her home and even in the country due to some criminal elements who have on a few occasions sent verbal messages through people she does know, indicating that she is being watched.
She called on the police authorities to investigate the ongoing killings in her hometown, adding that from there, they might be able to trace the people threatening her life.
Ms Ojeme added that what she gets in return instead of support are threats to her life which has left her vulnerable to attack by unknown persons who drop threatening messages for her in front of her residence.
