At least 100 people were killed and many others remain missing after gunmen attacked Yelewata village in Benue state, Nigeria, Amnesty International reported. The assault, which occurred overnight on Friday into Saturday, saw families burnt alive in their homes and dozens injured without access to adequate medical care. Benue, located in Nigeria’s conflict-prone Middle Belt, has been the epicenter of deadly clashes between herders and farmers over land use, often exacerbated by ethnic and religious tensions.
In a devastating escalation of violence in Nigeria’s central region, at least 100 people have been killed in an attack by gunmen on Yelewata village in Benue state, according to a report by Amnesty International Nigeria. The massacre occurred late Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday, leaving dozens injured and many others missing.
Amnesty International released a statement on social media platform X, condemning the attack and highlighting the severe humanitarian consequences faced by survivors. “Many people are still missing… dozens injured and left without adequate medical care. Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms,” the statement read.
The violence marks one of the deadliest assaults in Benue in recent years and underscores the persistent insecurity plaguing Nigeria’s Middle Belt, a region frequently torn by conflicts between nomadic herders and settled farmers. These clashes, fueled by disputes over land use, have intensified due to ethnic and religious tensions, resource scarcity, and government inaction.
Benue state, located in the heart of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, has long been a flashpoint for violence. The region is where the predominantly Muslim North intersects with the largely Christian South, making it a hotspot for communal tensions. Herders, often of Fulani origin, migrate southwards in search of grazing land for their cattle. This movement often brings them into conflict with local farming communities who rely on the land for agriculture.
While disputes over land and resources are not new, recent years have seen these confrontations escalate into deadly attacks. Experts attribute the rising violence to the proliferation of small arms, weak law enforcement, and the lack of effective conflict resolution mechanisms.
In May, suspected herders were linked to the deaths of at least 42 people in a series of attacks across the Gwer West district, also in Benue. That incident sparked protests and calls for stronger security measures appeals that have once again gone unheeded.
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Since 2019, more than 500 people have been killed in similar attacks in Benue alone, according to SBM Intelligence, a Nigeria-based research firm. The violence has displaced around 2.2 million people, many of whom now live in makeshift camps without access to basic healthcare, food, or education.
Survivors of the Yelewata attack are now facing desperate conditions. According to local sources, the few clinics nearby are overwhelmed, and emergency services are scarce. Civil society organizations and aid agencies have urged the Nigerian government to provide immediate relief and increase security in affected areas.
“Benue is bleeding,” said a community leader who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisals. “Our people are being slaughtered, and the government is doing little to protect us.”
Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to launch a prompt, thorough, and independent investigation into the attack and to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable. “The government must stop turning a blind eye to these atrocities,” Amnesty stated. “Failure to act only emboldens those who commit such horrific crimes.”
The Nigerian military and police have yet to issue an official statement regarding the Yelewata attack. Previous responses to similar incidents have been criticized as slow and inadequate, further eroding public trust in state institutions.
As the country prepares for upcoming national security talks, human rights groups and community leaders are urging policymakers to prioritize peacebuilding and justice in the Middle Belt. Without swift and decisive action, experts warn, the cycle of violence is likely to worsen.
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