At least three security operatives were killed and dozens of civilians reportedly massacred when suspected armed herdsmen launched a coordinated late-night attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The violent incident, which began around 10 p.m. on Friday, June 13, 2025, has left the state reeling in grief and fear.
According to local reports, the assailants descended on the community under the cover of darkness, opening fire indiscriminately on residents and setting homes ablaze. Panic gripped the area as gunshots rang out through the night, forcing many residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
Responding to distress calls from the beleaguered community, operatives of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were immediately mobilised. However, while en route to the scene, the security team was ambushed by the attackers near Daudu—a neighbouring town—resulting in the tragic deaths of two soldiers and one NSCDC officer.
“These brave men paid the ultimate price in service to our people. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” a grieving community source told the Daily Post, mourning the fallen operatives who lost their lives while attempting to restore peace.
As of early Saturday morning, no fewer than 16 injured civilians were receiving emergency medical treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi. Eyewitnesses and local officials fear the casualty figures may be far higher than initially reported.
A local government staff member from Guma LGA, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, painted a grim picture of the scale of the attack. He described the assault as an orchestrated effort to exterminate an entire ethnic group.
“This is no longer a random act of violence; it is an attempt at ethnic cleansing,” he said. “So far, we have recovered over 100 corpses, some of which are burnt beyond recognition. Many of the victims were internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had taken refuge in roadside shops and makeshift shelters.”
He added that the attackers poured petrol on the sleeping IDPs before setting the shelters on fire. “They slaughtered others in their homes using machetes. Entire families, with up to 10 to 15 members, have been wiped out. Over 40 people were rushed to hospitals, and at least 20 died on the way. I fear the death toll could rise to 200.”
Further corroborating the horror, Chief Dennis Denen Gbongbon, President of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley (AUFBV), issued a statement describing the incident as one of the worst massacres in recent times. “At about 2 a.m., Tiv farmers and IDPs in Yelewata came under deadly attack by suspected Lakurawa bandits, who are believed to be herdsmen. So far, over 62 persons, mostly IDPs and farmers, have been confirmed dead, with many others still unaccounted for.”
Gbongbon, who was present at the scene, noted that roughly 85 percent of the victims were IDPs who had fled previous attacks in communities such as Antsa, Dooka, Kadarko, and Giza. They had sought refuge in and around the Yelewata market area, where many were burned alive inside storage units or hacked to death in nearby homes.
He also revealed that search and rescue efforts were still underway, and the death toll could increase significantly as more bodies are uncovered.
Confirming the attack, the Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, told journalists in Makurdi, “I am aware that two separate attacks occurred—one in Yelewata and another behind Daudu. I don’t yet have full details or the confirmed number of casualties because I wasn’t physically present, but the situation is indeed tragic.”
The Benue State government is yet to issue an official death toll or comprehensive statement, but pressure is mounting on authorities to take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed and address the root causes of the escalating violence in the region.