Benue State — In what has been described as one of the bloodiest assaults in recent years, suspected armed herdsmen launched a coordinated attack on Yelewata village in Guma Local Government Area, killing over 100 people between Friday night and early Saturday morning. Witnesses say attackers stormed the village around 10:30 PM, setting homes ablaze and firing at fleeing civilians.
Eyewitnesses recounted horrific scenes of charred bodies, burned homes, and mass graves being dug by overwhelmed locals. Many victims, including women and children, were reportedly trapped in their homes and burned alive.
“This is no longer a conflict—it is a war against our people,” said a village elder who narrowly escaped.
Amnesty International condemned the attack, describing it as “a gross failure of security systems to protect civilians.” Governor Hyacinth Alia has called for an emergency security summit and urged the federal government to deploy additional military support to the region.
The attack highlights the growing insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where clashes between farmers and herders over land and water resources continue to escalate.
