Massacre in Benue: Over 100 Killed in Devastating Village Attack
June 15, 2025
YELEWATA, BENUE STATE
In one of the deadliest attacks witnessed in recent years, more than 100 people were killed in the early hours of Sunday following a brutal raid on Yelewata village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
Eyewitnesses and local authorities report that heavily armed assailants stormed the community under the cover of darkness, launching an unprovoked assault that left homes razed, bodies burned, and entire families wiped out. The attack, which began late Saturday night and continued into the early hours of Sunday, has left the community reeling in shock and grief.
According to Amnesty International, the assailants operated with military-grade weapons and executed what appears to be a coordinated and systematic massacre. Villagers were reportedly shot at close range, while others were trapped in burning houses.
“The level of violence inflicted on this peaceful community is beyond comprehension. What we witnessed was nothing short of a war crime,” said a local human rights observer, who arrived on the scene hours after the attack.
Emergency Response and Government Reaction
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) has deployed emergency response units to provide humanitarian relief and support to survivors. The Benue State Government has also condemned the attack in strong terms and has vowed to intensify security operations in the region.
Governor Hyacinth Alia described the incident as “a massacre that strikes at the heart of our shared humanity,” and called on federal security agencies to swiftly apprehend those responsible.
Meanwhile, security forces have reportedly launched a manhunt for the perpetrators, believed to be armed herders operating within the volatile Benue-Nasarawa axis.
Rising Insecurity in the Middle Belt
This latest massacre adds to the growing toll of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where clashes between farming communities and armed herders have become increasingly frequent and deadly. Despite numerous security deployments and peace initiatives, communities across Benue, Plateau, and Taraba states remain vulnerable to such attacks.
Civil society groups have renewed calls for the federal government to declare a state of emergency on rural insecurity, citing the failure of existing strategies to curb mass killings and displacement.
As of the time of this report, mass burials are underway for the victims, while thousands have fled the area for fear of further violence.
Call for Justice and Protection
Community leaders, religious figures, and civil rights activists are urging swift action and demanding justice for the victims. “This is not just a Benue tragedy; it is a national disgrace. If this level of carnage continues unchallenged, no community in Nigeria is safe,” said a statement from the Benue Peace Initiative Forum.
Investigations are ongoing, and the official casualty figure may rise as search and rescue efforts continue.
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