A fresh attack suspected to be carried out by armed herdsmen has left many feared dead in Yelewata, a town in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident happened late Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday. According to residents and local leaders, the attackers stormed the town from two directions, shooting at people and burning houses and stalls where many Internally Displaced Persons were sleeping.
The Chairman of Guma LGA, Maurice Orwough, confirmed the attack in an interview with Channels news. He said, “It was an unprovoked attack. The herdsmen first attempted to strike Daudu town, but the military stopped them. Later, around 11:30 pm, they attacked Yelewata, where only four soldiers were posted. Over one hundred herdsmen came and started shooting.”
Orwough added that while the exact number of casualties was still unclear, many people were killed and over 26 others taken to the hospital with serious injuries. He called for better security surveillance in the area to prevent further attacks.
A community leader and former acting chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Matthew Mnyan, described the attack as heartbreaking. “It started at about 11 pm. Fulani terrorists came from the western part of Yelewata and started shooting. Youths and police tried to fight back, but then another group came from the eastern side and overpowered them,” he said.
“They killed our people, poured petrol on market stalls, and burned them. Many IDPs who were sleeping there were killed. Some families were completely wiped out—men, their wives, and children all burnt inside their houses.”
Mnyan estimated that over 200 people might have died in the attack. “So far, we’ve rushed about 46 people to the hospital. Around 20 have died, and many are still being counted. Whole families were burned beyond recognition.”
He also confirmed that the community had received warnings about planned attacks from neighbouring Nasarawa State. “This was not random. It was planned. For over a week, we got reports that terrorists were preparing to attack Yelewata, Ukoho, Ortese, Yogbo, and Daudu.”
He added, “We heard that about 300 of them were camped near Daudu. During the resistance in Daudu, five security officers, including a military captain, were killed.”
Mnyan expressed worry that the attackers were trying to take over their land. “They’ve taken over land in the eastern part of Yelewata and given it to their people to farm. Now, they don’t allow others to go there.”
Describing the tragedy further, he said, “Children were killed like animals. Their throats were cut. I cannot understand why such wickedness would happen. It’s very painful.”
Chief Dennis Gbongbon, President of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley (AUFBV), blamed the attack on what he called Lakurawa bandits. He said, “Over 62 IDPs and farmers were killed, and many houses were burned. The number will rise because search and rescue is ongoing.”
He added, “I’m right here on the ground. Most of the victims are IDPs who had earlier run from Antsa, Dooka, Kadarko, and Giza to take shelter in Yelewata. They were mostly farmers who had already lost their homes. Now, they’ve been attacked again.”
The Benue State Police Command also confirmed the attack. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, told reporters in Makurdi that the incident happened early Saturday.
She said, “The police and tactical teams responded quickly and engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle. Some of the attackers were killed, but sadly, some residents also lost their lives, and others were injured.”
She added that security forces are still chasing the attackers and are doing their best to keep the area safe.
A resident who spoke to NAN said more than 70 bodies had already been recovered and more people were still missing. “Many were burnt in stores. Most of the victims are IDPs. There’s a police station and a military checkpoint in Yelewata, but the attackers were too many,” the resident said.
Benue State has suffered frequent attacks over the past decade, and this latest incident adds to a long list of deadly raids that have displaced thousands and caused great suffering across the region.
