By Barikui Felix
A civil society group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has condemned in strong terms the recent massacre of over 200 persons in Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The organisation decried the inaction of both federal and state authorities, as well as security forces, in the face of what it described as relentless bloodshed.
In a weekend statement by its Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, CAPPA lamented the vicious attacks that left many dead, dozens wounded, and hundreds displaced without access to shelter or medical care. The group described the killings as “an appalling new low in human cruelty.”
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, suspected to be herders, stormed Yelewata in the early hours of Saturday wielding sophisticated weapons. They reportedly razed shelters housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during a violent two-hour assault. A separate group also attacked Daudu, killing at least five security personnel, including both policemen and soldiers.
“This atrocity, which defies comprehension, is the latest in a cycle of violence that has plagued Benue for decades, as agrarian communities and pastoralist herders continue to clash over land, water, and grazing rights. But these confrontations have now morphed into a ruthless campaign of terror, waged with brazen impunity and aimed at the systematic annihilation of entire communities,” CAPPA said.
The group warned that the attacks reveal a deeper failure within Benue’s security structure and reflect a broader collapse of government responsibility. It also condemned the police response to grieving residents who took to the streets in protest, accusing them of firing tear gas at peaceful demonstrators and thereby compounding the trauma.
CAPPA criticised the government of Benue State under Governor Hyacinth Alia, as well as the federal administration, describing their assurances of safety as “hollow rhetoric” that has failed to bring meaningful change or protection to affected communities.
The organisation called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Alia to convene an emergency security summit that will empower a special task force to disarm and dismantle armed herder militias. It urged swift arrests, transparent prosecution, and expedited trials for the perpetrators.
To address long-term peace, CAPPA advocated the establishment of community-led peace councils in high-risk areas, composed of both farmers and herders, to mediate disputes and negotiate land-use agreements before tensions escalate.
The group also proposed nationwide ranching projects and compulsory livestock registration to eliminate the need for open grazing routes and enable traceable cattle movements. Additionally, it called for the creation of a victims’ compensation fund to support those affected by the violence in Yelewata and other communities, with access to trauma counselling and material relief.
CAPPA demanded a formal apology from the Nigeria Police Force for the use of tear gas on mourning residents and urged the adoption of dialogue-based protocols for managing protests. It warned that without decisive action, Benue risks spiraling into cycles of violence and retaliation that could render peace permanently out of reach.
