Spread the wordResidents and community representatives in Benue state have decried alleged attempts to silence communities from speaking out against killings and other rights violations in rural areas. The residents spoke on Sunday in Makurdi at a capacity-building workshop organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on promoting safety and security rights, accountability and access to justice. The workshop was organised to equip community members with the knowledge and tools needed to protect their rights, engage security agencies and promote accountability in their communities. The participants in their various conditions at the workshop narrated troubling experiences, including alleged attempts to prevent communities from speaking about killings, as well as the imposition of what they described as exorbitant levies on farm produce despite the economic hardship facing residents. Speaking at the workshop, SERAP Senior Programme Officer, Folashade Arigbabu, said the experiences highlighted the need for communities to understand their rights and know how to demand accountability from government and security agencies.