In what residents are calling one of the darkest days in recent memory, Michael Ajah, a local farmer from Yelewata, Benue State, has shared his heart-wrenching story after losing 20 family members in a single day during a brutal attack that swept through the community.
I lost 20 family members in one day,” Ajah told reporters, his voice shaking. “Eleven were killed in my house, and eight in my brother’s house nearby. All gone. Just like that.
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The attack, which occurred late Sunday night, is believed to have been carried out by unidentified gunmen suspected to be part of a larger wave of violence linked to longstanding land and herder-farmer conflicts in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Villagers reported that dozens of armed men stormed Yelewata under the cover of darkness, shooting indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze. By dawn, entire households had been wiped out, and the once-quiet town was turned into a scene of unimaginable grief and destruction.
Security forces were reportedly slow to respond, with survivors claiming it took hours before help arrived. By then, the attackers had vanished into the nearby forest.
“We have buried our loved ones, but we’ve buried our peace too,” said an elder in the community. “Yelewata is bleeding. And we’re still waiting for justice.”
Benue State authorities have confirmed the attack and promised to launch a full investigation. Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, calling them “barbaric and inhumane,” and assured residents that additional security would be deployed to prevent further violence.
Despite such promises, many locals remain fearful and skeptical, citing a long history of unpunished massacres and displacement.
National and international human rights groups have called on the Nigerian government to take urgent and meaningful action to protect vulnerable communities in Benue and across the Middle Belt region.
As families like Michael Ajah’s mourn their losses, Yelewata stands as a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of unchecked violence and systemic neglect in rural Nigeria
