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Local government

Massacre in Benue State: Over 100 Killed, Thousands Displaced

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Fulani militia have carried out a devastating attack on the Yelewata community in Benue State, Nigeria, leaving over 100 people confirmed dead and potentially up to 200 fatalities. The attack saw the terrorists target the Yelewata mission site, which shelters over 400 internally displaced persons (IDPs), before setting buildings ablaze and mutilating the bodies of victims. This horrific attack follows a series of violent incidents in the region, where farmers have been killed, and civilians have been injured or displaced.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 100 people have been confirmed dead in the attack on Yelewata community in Benue State, Nigeria.
  • The death toll could be as high as 200, according to some reports.
  • The Fulani militia initially targeted the Yelewata mission site, which shelters over 400 IDPs, but were repelled by military personnel.
  • The attackers then set buildings on fire and mutilated and burned the bodies of victims in the Yelewata Main Market.
  • Witnesses reported hearing the attackers chant "Allahu Akbar" and suggested that the operation bore the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing.
  • The attack follows several days of terrorist violence in Guma, including the killing of two farmers, the death of two people in a machete attack, and the killing of five people in an ambush.
  • The Benue NGOs Network estimates that over 5,700 lives have been lost to terrorist violence in the state since 2011.
  • Over 6,500 people were reportedly displaced in a single wave of violence in June 2025.
  • 2,843 new arrivals were recorded at IDP sites in just one week in February 2025.

Statistics:

  • Over 100 people confirmed dead in the Yelewata attack.
  • Potential death toll range: 100-200.
  • 400+ IDPs sheltering at the Yelewata mission site.
  • 270 people killed in Benue State from 1 April to 1 June alone.
  • Over 5,700 lives lost to terrorist violence in Benue State since 2011.
  • More than 150,000 people displaced by terrorist violence in the state.
  • 6,500 people displaced in a single wave of violence in June 2025.
  • 2,843 new arrivals recorded at IDP sites in just one week in February 2025.

Sources:

  • Daily Trust newspaper
  • CSW-Nigeria
  • Benue NGOs Network
  • CSW UK

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