Multiple deaths reported in Benue State village assault
Savage Ambush in Yelewata, Central Nigeria
A horrific attack on the morning of June 14 in Yelewata, a small town in central Nigeria's Benue State, has resulted in a shocking death toll. Residents report the loss of up to 200 lives, although official sources confirm only 45 deaths. The town, primarily Christian and home to a significant Catholic community, has experienced a tragic series of events over the last few years, hosting Internally Displaced Persons from previous attacks.
"The death toll is devastating. Many people have lost their lives, possibly over two hundred, and numerous houses have been destroyed", stated Amineh Liapha Hir, a Yelewata resident.
"Suspected Fulani militant herders attacked Yelewata, killing at least 100 residents and burning their homes early Saturday morning", declared Ndermen Peter Terfa, a local leader of the Yelewata community, speaking to AFP.
Another resident, Christian Msuega, reported, "I managed to escape, but my sister and brother-in-law were burned alive. Over a hundred people have perished". These grim accounts contrast with the governor of Benue's spokesman's estimate of 45 deaths, while the Benue police only confirm the attack but do not disclose casualty figures.
The police have dispatched tactical forces to the scene, initially engaging in a violent firefight with the assailants, and continuing to pursue them.
Beneath the Chronic Violence
This region, often dubbed the Central Belt of Nigeria, is plagued by a never-ending cycle of violence. The proxy war between Fulani herders and sedentary farmers escalates over land and water rights, often taking an ethnic or religious dimension.
Land scarcity, exacerbated by climate change and human encroachment, fuels hostilities, leading to deadly disputes over dwindling resources.
Read more on it | Nigeria: A Spate of Deadly Attacks Claims Over 20 Lives in Benue State (Crux Now), Nigeria: At least 23 dead in new armed attacks in Benue State (AFP), and In Nigeria, armed men kill 56 in Benue State (AFP).
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The horrors of the conflict are far from over, with Amnesty International reporting 6,896 deaths in Benue State alone in the last two years, and over 2,600 in Plateau State[4]. Accounts gathered by the NGO reveal extrajudicial killings, abductions, and extensive property damage[4].
[1] – Nigerian Rural Areas Struggle for Survival amid Climate Change[2] – Nigeria: At least 23 dead in new armed attacks in Benue State[3] – In Nigeria, armed men kill 56 in Benue State[4] – Hundreds dead in Ethnic Clashes in Nigeria’s Central Belt
The vicinity of Yelewata, a small town in Central Nigeria, has endured a series of conflicts over the past few years, with the latest incident resulting in an estimated loss of over 200 lives.
This region, known as the Central Belt of Nigeria, has been plagued by war-and-conflicts as the proxy war between Fulani herders and sedentary farmers escalates, with politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice heavily intertwined in the ongoing cycle of violence.
