Benue State, Nigeria – A fresh wave of violence has rocked Benue State as suspected armed herdsmen reportedly attacked the border community of Yelwatda, leaving many feared dead and scores injured.

The incident, which took place late Friday night, was confirmed by Maurice Orwough, Chairman of Guma Local Government Area. According to him, the assailants stormed Yelwatda—near the boundary between Benue and Nasarawa states—around 11:30 p.m., opening fire on residents in what is believed to be an unprovoked assault.

More than 26 people have been hospitalized, with several others feared to have been killed in the ambush. While the exact death toll remains unconfirmed, local sources estimate that over 50 lives may have been lost, describing the attack as one of the deadliest in recent months.

Chairman Orwough, who visited the community on Saturday morning, recounted that the attack came after an earlier attempt to strike the nearby town of Daudu was foiled by military intervention. The attackers then reportedly redirected their assault to Yelwatda, which had only four soldiers on post at the time of the attack.

The attack has sparked fresh calls for increased military presence and proactive surveillance across vulnerable communities in the Middle Belt region, where clashes between farming communities and suspected herders have become disturbingly frequent.

As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Police Command has not released an official statement on the Yelwatda killings.

This incident marks yet another grim chapter in the ongoing crisis affecting Benue and other parts of Nigeria’s north-central region, where longstanding tensions over land use and security continue to claim innocent lives.

WafricNews will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more details emerge.


By WafricNews Desk.