What happened in Yelewata, Benue State, last weekend wasn’t just an attack. It was a massacre, a calculated act of terror against innocent people, men, women, and children, caught in a cycle of violence that has gone on far too long.
As of today, over 150 people have been confirmed dead, with many more missing, wounded, or traumatized beyond measure. Hundreds of homes were set ablaze. A community was silenced overnight.
This isn’t the first time Benue has bled, and if action isn’t taken, it won’t be the last.
The attack began late Friday, June 13, when armed assailants, allegedly suspected herdsmen, descended on Yelewata. Survivors describe how gunmen surrounded homes and opened fire while people slept, then set buildings ablaze.
A local market became a death trap. Entire families were wiped out. Parents lost children. Children lost everything.
Tsegba Gbam Ayua, a survivor, escaped by sheer luck; his wife and four children were burned to death inside their home.
Benue State, often referred to as Nigeria’s “food basket,” has long been the frontline of deadly land-use conflicts between herders and farming communities. For years, these disputes have escalated into unchecked violence, with ethnic and religious undertones adding fuel to the fire.
And yet, justice remains elusive.
Security forces arrive after the damage is done. Investigations are promised but rarely concluded. Victims are mourned, only to be forgotten days later.
Nigerians are outraged. Social media erupted with hashtags like #BenueMassacre, #PrayForBenue, and #EnoughIsEnough. Citizens are demanding more than statements; they want justice, accountability, and real protection.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack as “senseless bloodletting,” promising that those responsible will be caught. Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia has dispatched relief efforts to aid survivors. But critics say the federal response was delayed and reactive, not proactive.
How many more villages must fall before security becomes a right and not a privilege?
Beyond the death toll, over 6,500 people have been displaced, left homeless and hungry. Survivors are sleeping in makeshift shelters, mourning loved ones with nothing left to their names. There is an urgent need for food, medicine, trauma care, and clean water.
International observers and rights groups like Amnesty International have called on Nigeria to protect its citizens and end the bloodshed. But will the world listen?
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What happened in Yelewata is not normal. It must never be treated as such. When mass killings become routine and headlines fade in 24 hours, we lose our humanity.
Benue is not a battlefield; it is home to farmers, teachers, children, and elders. And until there is justice, there can be no peace.
