Sorrow, tears and blood in Benue: Over 200 feared dead in Yelewata massacre

“Sorrow, tears and blood… dem regular trademark.” When Fela Anikulapo Kuti penned those timeless lyrics decades ago, little did we know that he might as well have been singing for Benue — a land now soaked in grief, blood, and silence. Over 200 lives have been snuffed out in yet another wave of coordinated terror in the state, and the people of Yelewata are mourning again.

In what residents now describe as the most brutal attack in recent memory, suspected terrorist herdsmen invaded Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area, killing at least 200 people, including women, children, and five security personnel.

The well-coordinated attack, which unfolded late Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday, saw the assailants storm Yelewata from two different directions — the west and the east — catching the local defenders off guard. What followed was a night of unrelenting horror: homes burned to the ground, IDPs butchered in market stalls where they had sought refuge, and entire families wiped out in cold blood.

“It started at about 11 pm,” said Mr. Matthew Mnyan, a community leader and former SUBEB boss. “Fulani terrorists came from the western part and opened fire. As our boys and policemen engaged them, another group came from the eastern side and overpowered the resistance.” He held back tears as he revealed that over 200 people have been confirmed dead, with many burned beyond recognition.

Among the victims were IDPs who had earlier fled violence from places like Antsa, Kadarko, and Giza. Believing the proximity to military posts in Yelewata market would provide safety, they laid down to sleep — unaware it would be their last night. “They poured petrol and burned the entire stalls while people were inside — families of 12, 15… all gone,” Mnyan recounted painfully.

While Yelewata burned, another front opened in Daudu, where another band of attackers met resistance but not without cost — at least five security personnel were reported killed, including a military captain.

Community reports indicate that over 300 armed terrorists were sighted before the attacks, and that warnings had been issued earlier, but no substantial reinforcement came. The government and security agencies, locals allege, watched in silence.

“It is heartbreaking. This is no longer about clashes — it’s a takeover,” Mnyan added. “Fulanis have taken over large portions of land around Yelewata. This is strategic and deliberate.”

Chief Dennis Gbongbon, President of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley (AUFBV), who visited the scenes, blamed Lakurawa bandits, revealing that 85% of the victims were IDPs. “Even those who had already lost their homes and fled to safety were hunted down again. The aim is to render Benue farmers extinct,” he said.

Medical sources say at least 46 persons are currently hospitalized, with the death toll expected to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubbles and bush paths.

The Benue State Police Command, through DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the attack, stating that a police tactical team engaged the assailants and killed some, but also admitted that casualties were recorded.

“We regret the loss of lives. Our men responded swiftly and are still on the trail of the attackers,” the statement read, without giving exact figures.

Meanwhile, a military source confirmed two military deaths, while the Benue State Government has yet to make a definitive public statement on the scale of the massacre.

As silence descends upon the ruins of Yelewata and Daudu, the wails of the bereaved echo through the valleys — a grim reminder that in Benue, sorrow, tears and blood are still the people’s daily reality.