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Local government

Devastating Attack in Benue State: Call for Action and Reforms

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Over 200 defenceless persons, mostly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), were brutally killed in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue state on June 14, 2025. The attack, a gross violation of the right to life, has sparked outrage and sorrow from civil society organizations, including Lawyers Alert (LA). President of LA, Rommy Mom, condemned the attack, highlighting the need for urgent action from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.

Key Takeaways:

  • The attack primarily targeted IDPs, who had previously fled similar attacks, with over 90% of the victims being IDPs.
  • Despite over 1,000 deaths in Benue in the past year due to similar attacks, no arrest, prosecution, or credible investigation has been carried out.
  • The attackers operate freely and with impunity, raising questions about the state's capacity and will to protect its people.
  • LA called on President Tinubu to deploy a military battalion to protect Benue communities and establish a special intervention fund to track and prosecute perpetrators.
  • The organization also called on the Governor to show leadership and empathy, advocating for rights-based, community-led approaches to public safety.
  • LA successfully implemented the Community Policing and Accountability Project in Guma and Katsina-Ala LGAs, enhancing early warning systems, trust-building, and human rights-based policing.
  • The organization urged the federal and state governments to replicate and invest in Community Policing Committees (CPCs) as provided in the law.

Statistics:

  • Over 200 defenceless persons were killed in the attack.
  • Over 90% of the victims were Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
  • Over 1,000 deaths occurred in Benue in the past year due to similar attacks.
  • No arrest, prosecution, or credible investigation has been carried out in relation to these attacks.
  • The Community Policing and Accountability Project in Guma and Katsina-Ala LGAs has enhanced early warning systems, trust-building, and human rights-based policing.

Sources:

  • Statement by Rommy Mom, President of Lawyers Alert (LA)
  • The Sun News Online (no date provided)
  • Police Act 2020
  • Community Policing and Accountability Project (specific references not provided)

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