A devastating attack has left the town of Yelwata in central Nigeria reeling, after armed gunmen launched a violent assault overnight from Friday into Saturday. While official figures remain unclear, local residents fear that over 100 people may have been killed in the bloodshed.
According to Amnesty International, the attack in Benue State is part of an alarming pattern of violence that has gripped the region. The rights group says these recurring assaults are being carried out with “utter impunity,” mainly targeting farming communities, displacing families, and jeopardizing food security.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Amnesty warned that the Nigerian government’s inaction is costing lives and livelihoods. “The almost daily bloodshed must end,” the group urged, adding that many residents remain missing after the most recent attack.
Local officials have confirmed the incident but are reporting a lower death toll. Tersoo Kula, a spokesperson for the Benue State governor’s office, told AFP that the assault lasted roughly two hours, during which several homes were burned to the ground. He confirmed that 45 people had been killed.
Police spokesperson Udeme Edet also verified the attack and stated that officers had engaged in a gunfight with the assailants. However, survivors on the ground report a much higher toll.
“It is terribly bad, many people have died,” said Yelwata resident Amineh Liapha Hir. “It could be more than 100. Many houses were also burned.” Another resident, Christian Msuega, described narrowly escaping the carnage, while mourning the loss of his sister and brother-in-law, who were reportedly burned alive.
This tragic incident is the latest in a long-running series of violent clashes in Benue State—often rooted in land disputes between farming communities, primarily Christian, and nomadic herders from the mostly Muslim Fulani ethnic group. Just last month, at least 20 people were killed in a similar attack in the Gwer West area, believed to have been carried out by armed herders.
The international community and human rights organizations are now urging Nigeria’s federal government to take urgent and decisive action to prevent further bloodshed.
We will continue to follow this developing story and bring you the latest from Nigeria as updates come in.
Reporting by Ehud Jones.
