Rita Odafe
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to promptly send more military personnel to Yelewata and other impacted regions in Benue State to restore peace. This request comes in response to a horrific incident on the night of June 13, 2025, where armed individuals reportedly claimed the lives of approximately 200 villagers in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area.
Additionally, the Senate has called upon security forces to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the Yelewata killings and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
In a strong denunciation, the Senate condemned the Yelewata massacre and all forms of violence directed at innocent citizens.
The legislative body has also requested that the Federal Government rebuild the property destroyed by the violence, compensate victims for their substantial losses, and increase troop presence in the volatile areas of Benue State.
In a commendable gesture, the Senate acknowledged President Bola Tinubu for initiating a stakeholders’ committee aimed at fostering peace in Benue State and observed a moment of silence in memory of the Yelewata victims.
The Senate praised President Tinubu for promoting the establishment of Ranches as a lasting solution to conflicts between herders and farmers in the nation.
These resolutions were made following a motion entitled “Urgent Appeal for Additional Troops to Yelewata and Surrounding Areas in Benue State to Reinstate Law and Order.”
This motion was introduced by Senator Titus Zam, representing the APC from Benue North West.
During the motion, Senator Zam expressed deep concern regarding the brutal assault on the Yelewata community, which led to the tragic loss of over 200 innocent lives, including women and children, on the night of June 13, 2025.
“He further emphasized that this unprecedented and genocidal violence in Yelewata was carried out in a systematic manner, unlike anything previously witnessed in these types of attacks.
“Survivor accounts and reports from organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch described the assault as meticulously organized and executed with complete disregard for human life.
“He highlighted that this massacre indicates a troubling trend of insecurity, targeted killings, and displacement in rural communities, particularly with similar occurrences in the towns of Aondoana and Naka in Gwer-West Local Government Area, which resulted in the loss of 50 lives within a single month.
“He expressed alarm over the lack of prompt action from security agencies, which might have averted or lessened the impact of these tragic events.
“He lamented the apparent inability of the Benue State Government to effectively utilize existing security resources to protect its citizens.
“Nevertheless, he praised the prompt action by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who visited Benue State, ordered the immediate distribution of relief materials by NEMA to the affected families, and directed investigations by security forces, resulting in the arrest of several suspects connected to the killings.”
