“Violence Unabated: Herdsmen Attack Benue Again Days After Presidential Visit”
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State following a brutal massacre in Yelewata, the violence continues. Just two days later, suspected armed herdsmen launched a fresh attack on a neighbouring community in Benue, leaving more civilians dead and locals fleeing once more.
In the early hours following Tinubu’s tour of Makurdi, the state capital, the assailants struck yet another village—impacting families already traumatized by recent events. This new assault comes amid a brutal cycle of violence that claimed over 100 lives in Yelewata last weekend. Survivors report hearing gunshots that erupted just after midnight, causing widespread panic as residents scrambled for safety in bushland and nearby settlements.
The timing has sparked sharp criticism of the government’s response. Observers note that, although Tinubu met with victims and called on security forces to spring into action, the recurrence of violence within 48 hours highlights persistent security gaps. A Benue State lawmaker, representing one of the affected communities, said that in previous attacks, security personnel often took days to arrive—by which time the herdsmen had already moved on, leaving devastation behind.
The ongoing pattern of attacks—marked by gunfire, houses razed by fire, and civilians killed during routine farming or in local markets—points to deep-rooted tensions between herders and farmers. An academic study on Benue’s insecurity recently found that such violence has significantly disrupted agricultural activity, displacing thousands and sending food production plummeting.
Local residents now fear returning to their farms or homes and are calling for immediate and sustained intervention. They demand that those responsible be brought to justice and adequate protection be provided to prevent further bloodshed.
With the death toll continuing to rise and security responses still lagging, many in Benue are left wondering whether this violent cycle will ever be broken—and whether the president’s visit will translate into tangible change on the ground.
NewsGlobal Reporters