By Asile Abel
A suspected herdsmen attack on Yelwata, a border community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, has left over 100 people feared dead, marking one of the deadliest assaults in the region’s recent history.
The Chairman of Guma Local Government, Maurice Orwough, confirmed the attack, describing it as an unprovoked massacre that has plunged the community into mourning.
The attack, which occurred late Friday night around 11:30 p.m., targeted Yelwata, a rural town on the Benue-Nasarawa border, approximately 40 minutes from the state capital, Makurdi.
The herdsmen opened fire on the people, killing many and leaving more than 26 hospitalized
According to Orwough, the assailants, numbering over 100 and heavily armed, overwhelmed the community, where only four soldiers were stationed.
“The herdsmen opened fire on the people, killing many and leaving more than 26 hospitalized,” Orwough told news men after visiting the scene on Saturday.
Informal sources in Yelwata paint a grimmer picture, estimating over 50 deaths, with some unverified reports suggesting the toll could exceed 100. “It was a bloodbath,” a local resident, speaking anonymously, told reporters. “They came just before midnight, shooting and setting homes ablaze. Entire families were wiped out.”
Orwough revealed that the attack followed an earlier attempt by the suspected herdsmen to invade Daudu, another town in Guma LGA, which was thwarted by military intervention. Undeterred, the attackers redirected their assault to Yelwata, exploiting the limited security presence.
They came just before midnight, shooting and setting homes ablaze. Entire families were wiped out
“We need increased surveillance and protection for our people,” Orwough pleaded, noting that exact casualty figures remain unconfirmed due to the chaos.
Benue State has endured relentless violence over the past decade, with suspected herdsmen frequently targeting rural communities, displacing thousands, and destroying livelihoods. The latest attack is the third on Yelwata in a week, underscoring the escalating insecurity in Guma LGA.
The Benue State Police Command has yet to release an official statement, leaving residents frustrated and fearful. “They came just before midnight, shooting and setting homes ablaze. Entire families were wiped out,” another Yelwata resident lamented. “How can this happen again and again with no response?” The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Chief Joseph Har, acknowledged the attack but said he lacked precise details, citing his absence from the scene.
How can this happen again and again with no response?
The massacre in Yelwata has renewed calls for urgent action to address the herdsmen crisis in Benue. Community leaders, including Chief Dennis Denen Gbongbon of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley, condemned the attack as an “annihilation of a race,” alleging a deliberate plan to target ethnic groups.
