A brutal overnight attack on a rural community in Benue state of north-central Nigeria has claimed the lives of at least 150 people, according to survivors who are still digging through rubble, identifying charred bodies, and searching for the missing. The deadly incident, which occurred on the night of Friday, June 13, 2025, is one of the deadliest herder-farmer clashes in recent Nigerian history.

Gunmen Storm Benue Village in Midnight Attack

The Yelewata community, located approximately 120 kilometres from Makurdi, the state capital, was the site of the massacre. Survivors said the attackers came from multiple directions, firing indiscriminately and burning down homes, including temporary shelters where displaced people were sleeping.

Many of the victims had sought refuge in the area after fleeing previous violence in nearby regions. Tragically, they became victims again.

According to local sources and leaders from the Benue Farmers Union, the attack began late at night, catching most residents off guard while they slept. The attackers used petrol bombs, guns and machetes, and set fire to houses and food stores, turning the night into an inferno of destruction.

No Group Claims Responsibility, But Suspicion Falls on Armed Herders

No group has officially claimed responsibility, but locals, including Deputy Governor Sam Ode, strongly suspect that the attack was carried out by armed herders, believed to be of Fulani origin.

Nigeria’s central region has witnessed years of deadly violence between nomadic herders and settled farmers, driven by competition for land and water, and worsened by climate change, government inaction, and the proliferation of small arms.

Farmers in Benue accuse the Fulani herders of allowing their cattle to graze on farms, destroying crops and ruining harvests, while the herders insist they are using legal grazing routes established during colonial times and formalised by Nigeria’s Grazing Law of 1965.

The dispute has evolved into a deadly ethno-religious crisis, with herders, mostly Muslim Fulani, and farmers, largely Christian Tiv and Idoma communities, locked in a cycle of reprisals and revenge.

Heartbreaking Losses and Charred Futures

The tragedy hit home for Titus Tsegba, a resident who lost his wife and four children, including an 8-year-old. “They were burned into ashes beyond recognition,” he said, barely able to speak through tears. “Everything is gone.”

Like many others, Titus had earlier fled other violence and relocated to Yelewata for safety. He escaped the massacre only because he had slept elsewhere that night.

Another resident, Jacob Psokaa, said, “They came from different sides. It was sporadic shooting, and it was hard to run because they had the village surrounded.”

Burnt Markets and Ruined Harvests

The attackers not only killed villagers but also destroyed economic lifelines. A local market, where displaced families had stored yams, rice, and other crops, was completely razed.

Benue State is known as Nigeria’s breadbasket, a region vital for agricultural exports. The loss of a year’s harvest has crippled the local economy and worsened food insecurity.

Rising Death Toll and Growing Anger

Initially, authorities reported 100 fatalities, but by Monday (June 16), the count had risen to 150, with many more still missing. Survivors and volunteers continued searching through charred debris, uncovering bodies buried in collapsed homes and makeshift shelters.

Community leaders and local media reports have warned that the death toll may still climb as the recovery process continues.

Tinubu: “Enough is Enough”

President Bola Tinubu, under fire for his administration’s inability to end recurring rural violence, called the Benue massacre “senseless bloodletting.” In a statement from his office, he promised to visit the community on Wednesday, June 18, and announced that security agencies have been ordered to act decisively.

“Enough is enough,” Tinubu said. “We will go after all perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict. They must be arrested and prosecuted.”

The Presidency’s assurance has done little to calm the anger and grief of the villagers, many of whom accuse the federal government of turning a blind eye to repeated warnings and local intelligence that attacks were imminent.

National and International Response

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have condemned the attack and called for an impartial investigation. They have criticised the Nigerian government for failing to protect vulnerable rural populations.

Several foreign missions, including those of the United States and European Union, issued statements expressing deep concern over the rising insecurity and urging authorities to act swiftly.

Long-Term Drivers of Conflict

Experts say this attack is part of a larger, systemic failure of Nigeria’s rural security framework. The country’s security forces are stretched thin, grappling with Boko Haram in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, separatist movements in the southeast, and now herder-farmer conflicts in the central belt.

Climate change, too, plays a major role. With desertification advancing in Nigeria’s northern region, herders are migrating south, increasingly clashing with sedentary farming communities.

“There’s no national grazing plan, no conflict resolution policy that is implemented, and no law enforcement in these vulnerable areas,” said Nnamdi Chukwuemeka, a security analyst in Abuja. “Until these root causes are addressed, the violence will continue.”

Internally Displaced and Forgotten

The Benue crisis has added thousands more to Nigeria’s internally displaced population, which already exceeds 3 million people. Makeshift camps are now being set up around Makurdi, with limited access to food, water, and medical care.

Children and the elderly are the worst affected. Local schools have been shut down, and psychosocial trauma support is virtually non-existent in the area.

Conclusion: A Nation on the Brink

The mass killing in Benue is not an isolated event but a symptom of deep-rooted social, political and environmental breakdowns. With security forces overwhelmed, justice systems slow, and national leadership under pressure, rural Nigerians are left to fend for themselves.

The attack has reignited a national debate on land use, indigenous rights, and armed self-defence. As the country prepares for more policy debates and elections, observers are warning that unless there is serious political will to tackle rural insecurity, the cycle of violence will worsen.

For now, Benue mourns its dead — and waits to see whether its cries will finally bring about the long-promised action

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