Many victims were burned alive in their homes as the attackers razed the village overnight, leaving behind dozens of missing and hundreds wounded.
BY PC Bureau
In a devastating overnight assault, unidentified gunmen attacked Yelewata village in Benue State’s Guma region, located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, killing over 100 people, according to Amnesty International Nigeria. The massacre, which unfolded between late Friday and early Saturday, June 13-14, 2025, is among the deadliest in the region in recent months. Amnesty reported that many victims were locked inside their homes and burned alive, with numerous bodies charred beyond recognition. Dozens of villagers remain missing, and hundreds of others sustained injuries, many unable to access adequate medical care due to the region’s limited infrastructure.
Graphic images and videos circulating online depict the horrific aftermath: torched homes, incinerated corpses, and scorched farmland, underscoring the scale of destruction in what was once a peaceful farming community. The attack has sent shockwaves through Nigeria, reigniting concerns about escalating violence in the Middle Belt.
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Official Response
Benue State police spokesperson Udeme Edet confirmed the attack but refrained from providing specific casualty figures, stating, “We are still assessing the situation on the ground.” The police have launched an investigation, though details remain scarce. Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the attack as “an unspeakable act of terror” and dispatched a delegation to Yelewata to provide support to survivors and bereaved families. The governor’s spokesperson vowed that authorities would ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice, though no arrests have been reported as of June 15, 2025.
TERRORISTS/herdsmen attacked & killed over hundreds in YELEWATA last night. Report said about 100 dead bodies recovered so far. Yet @HyacinthAlia till now is silent! Talking politics Still? Many said they harbor/come from Nasarawa villages. SO WHY NOT ENGAGE NASARAWA STATE GOVT? pic.twitter.com/kq4M84Qrgp
— Agena Robert Ande (@Great_Bobb) June 14, 2025
Context: Violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt
The attack on Yelewata is the latest in a series of violent incidents plaguing Nigeria’s Middle Belt, a region known for its ethnic and religious diversity, as well as its agricultural productivity. Often referred to as Nigeria’s “food basket,” Benue State is a critical hub for crop production, including yams, rice, and soybeans. However, the region has become a flashpoint for deadly clashes, primarily between nomadic Fulani herders and sedentary farming communities, such as the Tiv, who dominate Benue.
These conflicts are driven by longstanding disputes over land use, grazing routes, and water resources, exacerbated by environmental pressures such as desertification and climate change, which have pushed herders southward in search of arable land. A controversial 1965 grazing law, which herders cite to claim access to traditional grazing paths, has been a source of contention, with farmers accusing herders of forcibly encroaching on agricultural land and perpetrating violent attacks.
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While no group has officially claimed responsibility for the Yelewata attack, such incidents are frequently attributed to armed Fulani herders. However, the dynamics of violence in the region are complex, with some attacks linked to banditry, criminal gangs, or retaliatory strikes. The lack of clear attribution complicates efforts to address the root causes of the violence.
The Nigerian authorities must immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue state and bring the actual perpetrators to justice.
The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday shows security the… pic.twitter.com/ZCSuaiujjH
— Chinasa Nworu (@ChinasaNworu) June 14, 2025
Historical Background
The Middle Belt’s ethno-religious diversity—comprising Christian, Muslim, and animist communities—has historically been a source of both cultural richness and tension. Over the past decade, the region has witnessed escalating violence, with thousands killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. According to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), Nigeria recorded over 2,600 violent incidents in 2024 alone, with the Middle Belt accounting for a significant portion.
Recent attacks in the region:
May 2025: 20 people were killed in Gwer West, Benue State, in an attack on a farming community.
April 2025: 40 people died in a similar assault in Plateau State, another Middle Belt hotspot.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of violence that includes banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes, which have overwhelmed local security forces and strained Nigeria’s federal government.
Socioeconomic and Political Implications
The Yelewata massacre underscores the broader security crisis gripping Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. The Middle Belt’s instability threatens food security, as Benue’s agricultural output is critical to national markets. Repeated attacks have forced many farmers to abandon their fields, contributing to rising food prices and displacement. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) estimates that over 3.3 million Nigerians are internally displaced, with Benue hosting one of the largest populations of displaced persons.
Politically, the violence has intensified criticism of the federal government’s handling of security. Critics argue that inadequate funding for security forces, corruption, and a lack of coordination between federal and state authorities have allowed armed groups to operate with impunity. The failure to decisively address the herder-farmer conflict has also fueled calls for land reform and the establishment of designated grazing reserves, though such proposals remain contentious.
Amnesty International and International Response
Amnesty International Nigeria’s statement has drawn global attention to the massacre, with the organization calling for urgent action to protect vulnerable communities and ensure accountability. The international community, including the United Nations and African Union, has previously expressed concern about Nigeria’s security challenges, but tangible interventions remain limited. The lack of medical infrastructure to treat survivors and the ongoing risk of further attacks highlight the need for humanitarian aid and long-term peacebuilding efforts.
