Amnesty International Nigeria has called on the Nigerian government to urgently end the escalating violence in Benue State and bring the perpetrators of recent mass killings to justice.
This follows the gruesome murder of over 100 people by gunmen who stormed Yelewata community from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday, 14 June 2025. According to Amnesty, the scale and brutality of the attack — in which entire families were burned alive in their homes and dozens remain missing — reveal the failure of government security measures in the region.
“These horrifying killings show that the security measures authorities claim to be implementing in Benue State are simply not working,” Amnesty International said in a statement, noting that many survivors are now without adequate medical care, while hundreds have been injured or displaced.
The rights group has been documenting a year-long pattern of attacks across the state, reporting that some villages have been targeted up to ten times. With the majority of victims being farmers, Amnesty warned that the continued bloodshed could have serious implications for food security in the region.
Amnesty condemned the government’s inaction and warned that continued failure to curb the violence would result in more loss of lives and livelihoods.
