The death toll from a brutal gunmen attack in Nigeria’s Benue State has surged to 150, with dozens still unaccounted for as survivors continue to search for missing family members, according to multiple reports.
The assault took place late Friday night in Yelewata, a community in Guma local government area, approximately 120 kilometers from the state capital, Makurdi. Armed assailants reportedly stormed the village, opening fire on sleeping residents and setting homes ablaze. Many of the victims had sought shelter in a local market after fleeing earlier violence in nearby areas.
Initial figures released Saturday by Amnesty International Nigeria put the death toll at 100, but this number has since risen as more bodies were recovered from the aftermath of the attack. Food stores containing an entire year’s harvest were also destroyed in the fire.
Though no group has claimed responsibility, local farmers have pointed fingers at herders
an allegation echoed by Benue State Deputy Governor Sam Ode. The attack is the latest in a string of deadly clashes between nomadic herders and farming communities in central and northern Nigeria, often triggered by disputes over land and grazing rights.
The long-standing conflict, rooted in competition for increasingly scarce land and water, has intensified in recent years. Farmers accuse herders—mainly from the Fulani ethnic group—of allowing their cattle to destroy crops by grazing on farmlands. Herders, in turn, argue that the lands in question are protected grazing routes under a 1965 law passed shortly after Nigeria’s independence.
Violence of this nature is not new to Benue. Just last month, similar attacks in Gwer West local government area left at least 20 people dead. According to Amnesty International Nigeria, over 10,000 people have been killed in gunmen attacks across seven states since the current administration took office. Benue alone accounts for 6,896 of those deaths, followed by Plateau State with 2,630.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack, describing it as “senseless bloodletting,” and pledged that security agencies would take swift action to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. He is expected to visit the affected community on Wednesday.
However, the president faced public criticism for his delayed response. While he issued condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi within a day of a plane crash in India, it took more than 48 hours for him to address the Benue massacre. Social media users accused him of prioritizing international diplomacy over domestic security.
Prominent activist Aisha Yesufu joined the chorus of criticism, calling Tinubu a “certificate forger in chief” and decrying his attempt to deflect responsibility onto local leaders. “Over 200 of your citizens are killed and you are blaming community leaders for their utterances? No legitimate President will do that! What an utter shame,” she posted on X.
In his official statement, Tinubu urged political and community leaders in Benue to exercise restraint and foster unity. “Our people must live in peace, and it is possible when leaders across the divides work together in harmony and differences are identified and addressed with fairness, openness and justice,” he said. He also called on Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia to lead efforts for dialogue and reconciliation.
As the nation reels from the latest tragedy, the deep-rooted crisis between herders and farmers continues to pose a serious threat to security and stability in central Nigeria.
