Gunmen kill at least 100 in north-central Nigeria village attack, says Amnesty
At least 100 people were killed in a brutal overnight attack by gunmen in Nigeria's north-central Benue state, Amnesty International Nigeria said Saturday. The massacre occurred between late Friday and the early hours of Saturday in the village of Yelewata, located in the Guma region of the state.
The rights group, in a Facebook post, described the attack as one of the deadliest in recent months, saying "many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms. So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition."
Amnesty also reported that dozens of people remain missing, and hundreds have been left wounded, many without access to medical care. Shocking images and videos circulating on social media showed charred buildings, scorched bodies, and widespread destruction in the community.
Udeme Edet, spokesperson for the Benue state police, confirmed that an attack had occurred in Yelewata but did not provide casualty figures. 'We are still assessing the situation on ground,' Edet said.
Authorities have not identified those responsible for the killings. However, violence between herders and farmers is a persistent issue in Nigeria's Middle Belt region, often leading to deadly confrontations over land and water rights.
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Such attacks are frequently blamed on Fulani herders, who graze cattle across traditional farming areas. Local farmers accuse them of destroying crops and forcibly occupying farmlands, while herders argue they are following legally designated grazing routes established under a 1965 law.
The region has witnessed similar bloodshed in recent months. In May, at least 20 people were killed in Benue's Gwer West area in an attack suspected to have been carried out by herders.
In April, at least 40 people died in violence in neighbouring Plateau state.
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has dispatched a delegation to Yelewata to support the grieving families. 'This act of terror is deeply heartbreaking. We are committed to ensuring those responsible are brought to justice,' a spokesperson from the governor's office said.
Benue, often referred to as the 'food basket of the nation,' has been a flashpoint for herder-farmer clashes in recent years, contributing to a broader insecurity crisis that has gripped Nigeria's northern and central states.
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