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Serious tension has gripped Jato-Aka, the ancestral home of the Turan people in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, following the decision by the council chairman to lock the NKST Mortuary and prevent a planned mass burial for Tiv Christians killed in recent attacks.
The Executive Chairman of Kwande LGA, Hon. Vitalis Terhile Neji, reportedly ordered the closure of the mortuary just as grieving families, community leaders, and residents were preparing to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones for a collective burial ceremony. Sources close to the affected families described the move as a deliberate attempt to conceal the scale of the killings and shield what they termed an ongoing genocide against Tiv communities in parts of the state.
The planned mass burial had been anticipated to attract significant local and wider attention, potentially highlighting the severity and frequency of violent incidents targeting Tiv settlements. By blocking access to the bodies, families claim the action has compounded their grief and denied them the right to accord their deceased relatives a dignified farewell.
The controversy quickly gained international visibility after a viral video surfaced online featuring US-based humanitarian Alex Barbir. In the clip, Barbir strongly condemned the chairman’s decision, describing it as “more evil” than the original acts of those who killed the victims. He labeled the mortuary lockdown as inhumane and deeply troubling, arguing that preventing families from burying their loved ones only intensifies the suffering of already traumatized communities.
Barbir called on Hon. Vitalis Terhile Neji to immediately reopen the mortuary and allow the families to proceed with the burial with dignity and respect. He emphasized that withholding the bodies from grieving relatives serves no constructive purpose and further deepens communal pain amid persistent violence in the region.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with posts urging people to share the information globally to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Benue State. Affected families and community advocates continue to demand the release of the bodies and an end to what they perceive as efforts to suppress public awareness of the killings.
Local authorities have not yet issued an official explanation for the mortuary closure or responded to the growing criticism. The development has heightened emotions in an area already burdened by recurring insecurity, farmer-herder clashes, and loss of life.
As calls for intervention mount, the situation in Kwande remains tense, with residents and observers watching closely for any resolution that would allow the victims’ families to lay their loved ones to rest.
