NewStats: 3,265,517 , 8,187,050 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 01:29 PM 5i51y

IDPs, soldiers, women, children among 200 killed in fresh herders’ attacks on Benue communities
Benue Killings

..we were tempted to move the corpses to the highway – Community leader

About 200 persons, including five security personnel and internally displaced persons, IDPs, as well as children and women, have been reportedly killed in a bloody attack by suspected terrorist herdsmen on Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area, LGAs, of Benue state.

The attack, which came days after the people of the area alleged received information of the impending coordinated attacks by marauders, left many others with varying degrees of injuries.

The invaders were said to have stormed the Yelewata in their numbers from two fronts and, after overpowering the youths and the Police personnel who stood up against them, opened fire on defenceless IDPs who were taking refuge in market stalls and the community .

It was gathered that several families were killed and burnt in their houses and in the Yelewata market stall, with many of the victims being children and toddlers who were slaughtered like animals.

While the attack on Yelewata was ongoing, another set of marauders, also in their number, besieged Daudu, in the same Guma LGA, but they reportedly met a strong resistance by the youths and security personnel, leading to the unfortunate death of some of the security personnel.

A community leader in Yelewata and former acting Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Mr. Matthew Mnyan, who held back emotions as he spoke, said it was another dark day for the people of Yelewata, Daudu, Guma LGA and the entire state.

He said: “It started last night at about 11 pm when Fulani terrorists came from the Western part of the Yelewata and started shooting. So the police men and young people who were there tried to engage them. Suddenly, another group came from the Eastern part of the community, and they overran those trying to resist them.

“They killed our people, poured petrol on the stalls in the market and burnt them.
In those stalls, we had people who moved from places like Branch Udei and people displaced from nearby villages, who slept in them because of the proximity of the Police and soldiers there. And we learnt no soldier came out to defend the people.

“As of now, from the names they are putting together, and the number of families and people that were burnt and killed are running to over 200 now. They killed and burned people in the houses. They will pour petrol and burn the whole place where people were sleeping. We had a family of 15, some families of 12, men with their two wives, children and every one of them burnt. It is a terrible sight.

“I have asked them to search for the families and put the names together because some have been burned to ashes. Those who were rushed to the hospital were up to 46. So far, I learnt that about 20 have died and we are still putting the reports together.”

He lamented that it was a planned, unprovoked attack, adding that “for over one week we received reports from Nasarawa state that the terrorists planned to attack Yelewata, Ukoho, Ortese, Yogbo and Daudu. So they are moving to attack these places simultaneously.

“Fortunately, that same day, the ones at Daudu were dislodged, and we learnt five soldiers and police personnel were killed sadly. From the information I received, I think one of them was of the rank of a Captain.

“We learnt more than 300 terrorists were camped close to Daudu.

“It is heartbreaking, everybody is aware that the people want to take over Benue state. There are no two ways about it. They only want to grab the land.

“If you go to the east side of Yelewata, Fulanis have taken over the land and given it to some of their people to be farming. And they do not want anybody to go there. So this is a planned issue that is being executed. It was a coordinated and well-organised attack, which is why some came from the eastern part and some from the western part to execute the attack to make sure they bring the place down.

“I cannot understand why innocent women, children and toddlers were murdered in cold blood. Children had their necks slitted and were killed like animals. I cannot understand it.

“We had wanted to move all the corpses to the road, but I recalled that there was a time we did that and three persons were killed by security personnel.”

Also, the President of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley, AUFBV, Chief Dennis Gbongbon who also lamented the carnage, blamed it on those he called “Lakurawa bandits.”

Gbongbon said the association received the report of “the very disturbing security threat to Tiv farmers in Yelewata community of Guma LGA, as suspected Lakurawa bandits and herders killed over 62 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and farmers and houses were burnt with families beyond imagination.

“The death toll shall rise as the search and rescue mission is on. Many were burned in stores. I am right here on the ground. 85 per cent of the victims are IDPs who ran from Antsa, Dooka, Kadarko, and Giza areas and took refuge in various stores in Yelewata market and among residents. Many have been hospitalised.”

According to him “the IDPs in Yelewata are still farmers. They only ran to take refuge there. While it is important to separate them, it would help us understand the deteriorating situation farmers are confronted with. Even having run from sacked homes to IDPs camp, terror still followed them unabated.”

Reacting, the Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Internal Security, Chief Joseph Har, who confirmed development, said, “I can not give an exact of it because I am not there physically, but I am aware that this ugly thing happened yesterday in Yelwata and at the back of Daudu. They were two different attacks. I cannot give the exact numbers because I do not have the details.”

Meanwhile, a military source who preferred anonymity confirmed that two military personnel lost their lives in the attack.

He said, “We lost two military personnel in that attack, but I cannot tell you more than that.”

Reacting, the Benue State Police Command in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP Udeme Edet confirmed the development but failed to state the casualty figure.

Part of the statement read “according to our information, it happened in the early hours of today, where suspected bandits invaded Yelwata town.

“The Police and Tactical Teams posted to the town and reinforcement responded swiftly to the attack and engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange, and some of the attackers were killed in the process.

“But it is with great sadness that we report that some individuals lost their lives and others sustained injuries.

“The Police, however, have not relented and are still in pursuit of the attackers and will continue to keep everyone safe.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/06/breaking-about-200-feared-dead-in-bloody-herders-attacks-in-benue/

APC is a death cult, they want your children to be poor and your children's children

One moniker here from benue state is always attacking Peter obi and igbo people, what an irony of life😁😁😁

Benue state APC and tinubu

We believe in the renewed hope agenda

You won't hear anything from the blood thirsty govt but they will be quick to ask Isreal and Iran to descalate

I have said before that the only reason Benue people are getting killed like this and there's no serious FG intervention is that they come from the minority.

I've yet to see ONE benefit of coming from the minority ethnic group.....just ONE! RIP to the dead.

Didn’t the army chief make a show of relocating to Benue state last week?

I’m sure by now Christian middle-beltans old enough to the uncivil war will rue the day they chose to side with the hegemonic alliance to fight the Igbo/Biafrans! I doubt if given the opportunity to do things all over again, that they would make the same mistake!

SmartPolician:
I have said before that the only reason Benue people are getting killed like this and there's no serious FG intervention is that they come from the minority.

I've yet to see ONE benefit of coming from the minority ethnic group.....just ONE! RIP to the dead.

Not because they are minority but because there is an irresponsible government in power, if it were about minority then Rivers state would not have been declared state of emergency.

TInubu's government is allowing these killings for political gains, May their souls rest in peace

In those stalls, we had people who moved from places like Branch Udei and people displaced from nearby villages, who slept in them because of the proximity of the Police and soldiers there. And we learnt no soldier came out to defend the people.

You won't see helinues anywhere near this thread except there's a chance for him to shout Peter Giringory Obi's name. Talk about fear and obsession for someone who lost an election by a wide margin

KillahPriest:
You won't see helinues anywhere near this thread except there's a chance for him to shout Peter Giringory Obi's name. Talk about fear and obsession for someone who lost an election by a wide margin

Now that I am here, could you just enter ground

Nlfpmod, where are we going in Nigeria, people are just been slaughtered like goats!

benuejosh, in the other post you said that "I said" you should go and tell your dearly departed kinfolk sorry

Well, in this thread I won't tell you what to do. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO concerning this news you should do

benuejosh:
Everything will definitely be alright and it will be okay. I will comment on this killings soon.

But assuming this type of thing happened in the South East you would have had a readymade comment for it abi?

helinues:


Now that I am here, could you just enter ground

You always say it is reprisal right? Who is 'reprising' who in this scenario? 🤔

If 200 Iranians died In the missiles strike, the middle east would be on fire, if 200 Israelis die in a missile attack the whole world would be on fire, if 200 Tiv people die in herdsmen attack,nothing absolutely happens, Niger continues as if nothing just happend.

They are busying attacking Peter Obi while terrorists are doing promo up and down.

jmoore:
They are busying attacking Peter Obi while terrorists are doing promo up and down.

Benue matter Don Taya everyone, people no longer get shocked or shudder when there is an attack in that axis. The indigenes arr now lethargic about thier situation that it has become a new norm.

Imagine after this they will organize another rally for APC for 2027.

jmoore:
They are busying attacking Peter Obi while terrorists are doing promo up and down.

Tinubu er Wike said 'Those Who Want To Die Can Do So, Our Population Is Too High', Maybe it is their plan. No wonder they don't care about insecurity. They are encouraging terrorists to reduce our population.

In a sane country the president would have resigned , this is too much

They don't count. They are not first class citizens.

The same Benue people demonstrating in solidarity for Alli/Tinubu. They day, everybody realise life is sacrosanct and you need to defend yours, may be we will start to enjoy peace.

Countries fighting real war don't loose that number of people in a week.







Nigeria government problem and priority is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ipob.

Do we still hsve humans in Benue?

I dont really understand

Stop spreading rumors. There's peace in the land.



Tinubu is on the wheel

The president should declare state of emergency in this state for Christ sake! What sort of insensitive govt is this?

That state needs a state of emergency. The military needs to move in and flush out the ers of APC.

Nigeria has no president. We are on autopilot mood, while Tinubu is busy buying politicians and commossiong 30 km disted roads Pray for Nigeria