The quiet farming settlement of Yelewata in Benue State was thrown into chaos on the night of June 13-14, 2025, when suspected armed herdsmen launched a deadly attack that claimed over 300 lives, destroyed hundreds of homes, and left the community in ruins.
Residents were awakened by gunfire, burning homes, and the horrifying cries of victims as attackers systematically targeted areas where people had gathered for safety, including a primary school, church, and market square.
A Coordinated Attack
According to survivors, the attack was meticulously planned. Franc Utoo, a lawyer and native of Yelewata who lost 33 members of his extended family, revealed that residents had received intelligence about the impending attack and had informed law enforcement, but no preventive action was taken.
"This thing is straightforward. Those guys had started plotting the attack before that day," Utoo told BenriNews. "We were aware of the plot that they might invade our town from Obi, Doma or Keana LGAs in Nasarawa State through Giza or Kadarko."
The attack came amid rising tensions between local farmers and herders in the region. Weeks earlier, traditional rulers across Tiv and Idoma lands had issued a directive asking all herders to vacate their lands by the end of May due to recurring violence and destruction of farmlands.
Heartbreaking Casualties
Among the victims was Pharmacist Matthew Iormba, who had just returned home to inform his family of his graduation after completing his housemanship in Kano, only to be burnt alive during the attack.
Tsegba Lucy, a young survivor, lost her mother and five siblings when their house was set ablaze. "My beloved mum and beautiful sisters. Go well till we meet again. I love you, but God loves you more. I can't stop crying. Kai, God, you do me strong thing," she mourned.
Another survivor, a local footballer identified as Agande, had traveled to Makurdi for a match. Upon his return, he discovered that both his parents and 10 family members had been burnt beyond recognition.
"It was like a war. In my 57 years on earth, I've never witnessed this. I escaped with my third son. My wife and other children were not so lucky. My world ended that Friday night," said Elder Amos, his voice trembling as he recounted the horrific experience.
Disputed Death Toll
While Governor Hyacinth Alia reported that only 59 people died based on a panel report, local sources and survivors insist the death toll exceeds 300. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, acknowledged that over 200 people had died, but community members maintain that even this figure falls short of the actual casualties.
"We lost over 300 people. Children were burnt to ashes. In some places, entire families were wiped out. If anyone tells you it's 59, they're lying. A family here lost over 40 members alone," said Samson, a youth leader in Daudu.
Utoo provided BenriNews with a list of 127 confirmed victims, stating that many more remain unaccounted for. "I have names of about, at the last count, about 132 or so that were killed. That is the ones we know. The ones we don't know are also equal to that number," he explained.
Government Response Criticized
The government's response to the massacre has drawn criticism from survivors and community leaders. President Bola Tinubu, through his media adviser Bayo Onanuga, described the killings as "reprisal attacks," a characterization that shocked many residents and activists.
Utoo condemned the presidential statement, saying, "From the beginning of that statement to the end, there was nowhere he mentioned the two most important things: arresting the perpetrators and bringing them to justice. Nowhere. He was concentrating on reconciliation. He was addressing us as warring parties. Which war are we fighting?"
Governor Alia has also faced criticism for waiting over 48 hours to comment on the killings and for not visiting the affected community. "We expected him to come here. To mourn with us. Even if he had nothing to offer, he could at least show sympathy. But he stayed silent and then downplayed our pain," lamented Tever Japhet, a community leader.
International Outrage
The Yelewata massacre has sparked national and international outrage. Pope Leo XIV described the attack as a "terrible massacre" and called for justice, protection, and peace for rural Christian communities in Benue and across Nigeria.
"I am praying for security and peace in Nigeria, especially for those affected by violence in Benue," the Pope said in a Sunday address from Rome.
As Yelewata continues to grapple with this devastating tragedy, questions remain about whether the community will ever recover from the carnage and if justice will be served for the victims of what many now describe as Benue's darkest hour.
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