The Yelewata community in Benue's Guma LGA suffered its third deadly attack in a week on June 14, with over 62 IDPs and farmers killed. Witnesses described armed assailants burning victims alive in makeshift shelters during the 2 am assault. Police confirmed a "fierce gun battle" but provided no casualty figures, while farmers' groups labeled it "slow-motion genocide."
• Victims were predominantly Tiv farmers and IDPs from previously attacked villages
• 85% casualties were displaced persons sheltering in market stalls and roadside huts
• Senator Moro urgently requested military reinforcement for vulnerable communities
Why does this cycle persist? Each attack follows the same script: sophisticated weapons, nighttime strikes, and delayed security response. The real tragedy isn't just the body count - it's how these massacres methodically erase farming communities. When IDPs fleeing violence become targets themselves, it reveals a terrifying blueprint for rural displacement. Beyond the "farmer-herder" narrative lies a calculated land grab camouflaged as conflict.
