Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed that 59 people, including soldiers and civil defence officers, were killed in a brutal Friday night attack in Yelewata, a border community between Benue and Nasarawa. The massacre by suspected herdsmen has triggered nationwide outrage, street protests, and international condemnation, including from Pope Leo XIV.
- 59 confirmed dead in Yelewata after fresh herdsmen attack
- Soldiers and civil defence personnel were among the victims
- Pope Leo XIV condemned the killings as acts of “extreme cruelty”
- Angry youths staged protests in Makurdi, joined by VeryDarkMan
- Tinubu orders military and intelligence chiefs to act decisively in Benue
Once again, Benue becomes the site of carnage in a long-running conflict that appears far from resolution. Despite presidential orders and military deployments, rural communities remain vulnerable to cross-border raids. The rising civilian death toll, alongside targeted attacks on security operatives, points to both the sophistication of the assailants and the limitations of state response.
With security forces deployed and investigations underway, the big question remains: how many more must die before the killings stop? Yelewata’s grief joins a growing list of towns that need more than promises; they need protection.
