ABUJA, Nigeria (BN24) — At least 100 people have been killed in a brutal gun assault on a village in north-central Benue state, according to Amnesty International Nigeria, which reported the attack occurred overnight between Friday and early Saturday in the Yelewata community, located in the Guma area.
The human rights organization stated that dozens remain unaccounted for, and hundreds are believed to be injured and lacking medical assistance. In a statement posted to Facebook, the group described the carnage as devastating. “Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms. So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition,” Amnesty International Nigeria said.
Disturbing footage circulated on social media in the wake of the assault appeared to show charred remains and homes reduced to ashes. The Benue state police confirmed an attack had taken place in Yelewata but did not release a casualty figure. The scale of the destruction, however, has triggered widespread concern and condemnation.
Although no group has claimed responsibility, the region has been plagued by recurring violence between local farmers and Fulani herders, frequently resulting in mass killings and displacement. These long-standing conflicts are fueled by competition over land and water resources, with farmers accusing herders of allowing cattle to destroy crops, while herders claim grazing rights on routes established in the 1960s.
Last month, gunmen—believed to be herders—killed at least 20 people in Gwer West, also in Benue state. In April, another 40 people were killed in the neighboring Plateau state, marking a steady increase in rural violence across Nigeria’s northern and central belt.
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has dispatched a delegation to Yelewata to support the families of the victims and assess the scale of the crisis. No additional details have been released regarding humanitarian aid or security reinforcements in the area.
The massacre underscores Nigeria’s growing internal security challenges, especially in rural areas where law enforcement presence remains limited and tensions over land rights continue to spark deadly confrontations.
