At least 100 people killed as gunmen attack Nigeria’s Benue: Rights group

Amnestly International called connected the Nigerian authorities to bash much to halt attacks successful Benue State.

At slightest 100 radical person been killed successful a northcentral Nigerian municipality pursuing an overnight onslaught by gunmen, arsenic Amnesty International called for the authorities to extremity the “almost regular bloodshed successful Benue state”.

The attack, which occurred from precocious Friday into Saturday morning, took spot successful Yelwata, a municipality successful Benue State, according to Amnesty.

“Amnesty International has been documenting the alarming escalation of attacks crossed Benue authorities wherever gunmen person been connected a sidesplitting spree with utter impunity. These attacks person been causing monolithic displacement and whitethorn impact nutrient information arsenic bulk of the victims are farmers,” the rights radical wrote connected X.

“The Nigerian authorities’ nonaccomplishment to stem the unit is costing people’s lives and livelihoods, and without contiguous enactment galore much lives whitethorn beryllium lost,” the organisation said, adding that galore radical were inactive missing from the attack.

The Nigerian authorities indispensable instantly extremity the astir regular bloodshed successful Benue authorities and bring the existent perpetrators to justice.

The horrifying sidesplitting of implicit 100 radical by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from precocious Friday into the aboriginal hours of Saturday 14 June 2025, shows…

— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) June 14, 2025

Tersoo Kula, a spokesperson for the authorities governor’s office, told the AFP quality bureau earlier connected Saturday that the onslaught lasted astir 2 hours and a “number of houses [were] burnt down”.

He added that authorities officials and constabulary officials had visited Yelwata and “confirmed” a little decease toll of 45.

Police spokesperson Udeme Edet confirmed the onslaught to AFP and said constabulary had engaged the attackers successful a gunfight.

But locals told AFP that they feared that much than 100 radical had been killed successful the attack.

“It is terribly bad, galore radical person died,” Amineh Liapha Hir, a nonmigratory of the town, said. “It could beryllium much than 100, and galore houses were besides burnt,” Hir added.

Another resident, Christian Msuega, said helium escaped the attack, but his sister and brother-in-law had died aft being burned alive.

In the region, attacks are communal arsenic section herders, mostly Muslim taste Fulani, and farmers, galore of whom are Christian, clash implicit the constricted entree to onshore and water.

Last month, gunmen who were believed to beryllium herders killed astatine slightest 20 radical successful the Gwer West country of Benue.