Benue State has once again been plunged into a deep crisis following brutal attacks by suspected criminal herders on the Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area and surrounding areas, which occurred late Friday night, June 13, and into early Saturday, June 14, 2025. Reports on casualties vary, with figures ranging from 45 to over 200 lives lost, though many sources cited more than 100 fatalities, including women, children, soldiers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). The attacks, characterized by extreme cruelty, involved assailants setting houses ablaze and reportedly burning people alive in makeshift shelters, particularly targeting IDPs who had sought refuge in Yelwata, a border town with Nasarawa State.

Eyewitness accounts paint a grim picture of the devastation. Tsegba Gbam Ayua recounted losing his wife and four children who were burned to ashes in market stalls. Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga shared the tragic loss of 23 family members from his maternal lineage, describing how victims, including a young man who just wrote JAMB and a pharmacist, were killed in an inhumane manner. Mama Victoria Tyobee narrowly escaped the attack, witnessing the loss of three relatives. The Chairman of Guma LGA, Maurice Orwough, confirmed the incident, noting that dozens were killed and over 26 others hospitalized. These renewed attacks follow a series of unresolved massacres in April that claimed over 150 lives across Benue and Plateau states, underscoring the deep-rooted resource-based conflict between farmers and herders over land and water.

In response to the horrific events, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia strongly condemned the killings as a gross violation of human dignity. His Deputy Governor, Barrister Sam Ode, visited the scene to convey the state government’s solidarity and commitment to securing lives and property. Ode announced intensified collaboration with federal security agencies, traditional rulers, and local stakeholders to devise sustainable responses. Tactical teams from the Federal Government have begun arriving, with additional deployments planned for vulnerable areas, alongside strategic community dialogues to enhance intelligence gathering. Governor Alia also urged religious, traditional, and political leaders to guide youths and discourage unlawful gatherings.

President Bola Tinubu issued a stern directive to security chiefs, ordering them to implement earlier instructions to restore peace and security in Benue State. He described the killings as “senseless bloodletting,” “inhuman and anti-progress,” and “very depressing,” declaring, “Enough is enough!” President Tinubu tasked Governor Alia with immediately convening reconciliation meetings and initiating dialogue among stakeholders—farmers, herders, and local communities—to end the violence and foster peaceful coexistence. He also cautioned political and community leaders against inflammatory utterances that could escalate tensions, confirming that intelligence chiefs, police, and military officials have arrived in the state to direct security operations.

International and national figures also expressed outrage and called for action. Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, condemned the “terrible massacre” with “extreme cruelty,” offering prayers for “security, justice, and peace” in Nigeria, especially for the “rural Christian communities of Benue State who have been relentless victims of violence.” Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the attacks as “deeply anguishing” and a “national emergency,” urging a transparent investigation, enhanced security, and immediate humanitarian support. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, viewed the killings as a direct consequence of leadership failure, warning against the normalization of mass killings. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and the FCT called on President Tinubu to declare “total war against criminals” and consider international assistance if domestic security forces are overwhelmed. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) warned of looming ethnic war due to persistent inaction by the federal government.

The massacre triggered widespread protests in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Youths initially blocked the Lafia-Makurdi highway and later converged at the Wurukum Roundabout, demanding justice and an end to the violence. Popular social media activist Martin Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, joined the demonstrators. The Deputy Governor’s attempt to address the crowd was rejected, as protesters insisted on hearing directly from Governor Alia. Security forces, including the police, eventually used teargas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, leading to chaos. The Benue State Police Command, through its spokesperson Udeme Edet, confirmed the arrest of 14 suspects for allegedly hijacking the peaceful protest, obstructing a roadway in Apir, and setting a truck ablaze with its driver trapped inside, though the command maintained no lives were lost during their dispersal operations.

Security forces on the ground pledged decisive action. Major General Moses Gara, Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), described the attacks as “barbaric and unacceptable,” promising an operational strategy to end the killings and restoring enduring peace. He undertook an operational visit to Yelwata and other crisis-hit communities, reassuring leaders of intensified intelligence gathering and additional troop deployments. The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Executive Secretary, Sir James Iorpuu, led a team to relocate victims to an emergency camp in Makurdi. Despite the government's efforts and the deployment of federal tactical units, residents and activists continue to call for lasting solutions and accountability amidst the ongoing cycle of violence.