In a chilling recount of one of the most devastating attacks in Benue State’s recent history, a survivor of the Yelewata massacre, Michael Ajah, has revealed that he lost 20 members of his extended family in a single night during a violent assault allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen.
The attack took place during a heavy downpour two nights ago in Yelewata community, located in Guma Local Government Area, leaving an entire compound decimated and triggering renewed outrage over the spiraling violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“On that very day, rain started in the evening. I was sleeping. Around 10:20, we heard gunshots,” Ajah told News Central TV. “Before we could notice that something was happening, Fulani men entered this place.”
According to Ajah, the assailants struck without warning. Eleven people were gunned down inside his house, eight more in a nearby store, and others around the compound.
“My whole family members that died that day, the day before yesterday, they were 20. That is my own family members alone,” he recounted.
The aftermath left nothing behind. Ajah described how his home and store were burned to the ground, eliminating every possession he owned.
“They burnt my clothes, everything. All we are left with is the clothes we wear,” he said in anguish.
The Yelewata massacre is part of a broader surge in coordinated attacks in Benue, with over 200 people reportedly killed in similar raids across the state within the past week alone. The sheer scale of the violence has prompted national outcry and intensified demands for urgent government action.
Despite repeated assurances from authorities, many rural communities remain under siege, with security analysts warning of the unchecked threat of armed groups operating across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
As pressure mounts, President Bola Tinubu’s administration is being urged to intervene decisively to end the carnage. On Monday, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun arrived in Benue with a tactical team to assess the situation and explore strategic responses.
For survivors like Ajah, the pain is raw and enduring.
“My family died in this house,” he said, pointing to the ruins of his home. “Everyone is gone.”
