The security crisis in Benue State, Nigeria, has worsened dramatically after a devastating attack on Yelewata village in the Guma Local Government Area. The assault, which occurred overnight between June 13 and 14, left at least 100 people dead, with many burned alive in their homes. Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire late into the night, followed by the smell of burning homes and cries for help. Survivors described harrowing scenes of children and the elderly being unable to escape the flames. While the Benue State Police have confirmed the attack, they have yet to provide an official death toll. The number of missing persons continues to rise, and the community remains in shock.
This latest massacre is believed to be connected to the ongoing conflict between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers in the region—a crisis that has plagued Benue State for years. However, this attack marks a worrying shift in tactics. According to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the assailants were not ordinary herders; they were armed groups entering the state without cattle, suggesting a coordinated and possibly externally motivated operation aimed at sowing terror and destabilizing rural communities.
In response to the attack, President Bola Tinubu has ordered immediate intervention by Nigeria’s security chiefs. He has tasked them with deploying forces to the affected areas and restoring calm through a combination of military presence and intelligence operations. Furthermore, the President directed Governor Alia to convene peace and reconciliation meetings among the warring communities, urging dialogue as a means to end the recurring bloodshed. Despite these directives, public confidence in the government’s ability to protect lives and property remains low.
The people of Benue have not remained silent. Massive protests erupted in the state capital, Makurdi, and other parts of the state shortly after news of the massacre broke. Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets, blocking major roads, chanting slogans, and carrying placards with messages such as “Stop the Killings,” “We Are Not Safe in Our Own Land,” and “Justice for Yelewata.” Protesters criticized what they called the government’s slow and ineffective response to the crisis. Many called for the resignation of top security officials and demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of the attackers. Some protest leaders accused federal authorities of neglecting the plight of farming communities in the Middle Belt, where these attacks have become all too common.
The protests were largely peaceful but emotionally charged. Youths, women’s groups, civil society organizations, and local farmers’ unions participated in the demonstrations, reflecting the broad anger across Benue’s population. Religious leaders also voiced their concerns, calling on the federal government to declare the crisis a national emergency.
The humanitarian impact of the Yelewata massacre is severe. Thousands have been displaced from their homes, fleeing with little more than the clothes on their backs. Many are now living in makeshift camps without adequate access to food, clean water, or medical care. Aid agencies and local volunteers are working to deliver relief supplies, but the scale of the displacement is overwhelming. Schools and churches have been converted into temporary shelters, but conditions remain poor and unsafe.
In the midst of this chaos, Benue citizens are calling not just for aid but for justice and accountability. The memory of previous attacks, including the 2018 New Year’s Day massacre and several others since, looms large. Residents fear that without a significant shift in strategy—one that includes not just military action but policy reforms, improved community policing, and prosecution of perpetrators—the cycle of violence will continue.
As pressure mounts on both state and federal governments, all eyes remain on Benue. The people are demanding not just security, but dignity, protection of their land, and the right to live without fear. Whether these demands will lead to real change or fade into another round of unfulfilled promises remains to be seen.
Note these reports are all allegedly, as seen on the internet.
Written By Crystal Star
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