Burned alive in rooms, indiscriminate firing … Cruel attack of gunmen in this country

Nigeria Benue Massacre: Amnesty International Nigeria said on Saturday (June 14) that gunmen attacked and killed at least 100 people from late Friday to Saturday morning in Yelwata village of Benua state of Central Nigeria.

In a statement shared on the social media platform X (East Twitter), Amnesty said that many people are still missing, dozens of injured and they could not get adequate medical facilities. According to the statement, many families were locked in their bedroom and burnt alive.

The Nigerian authorities must immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue state and bring the actual perpetrators to justice.

The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday 14 June 2025, shows…

— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) June 14, 2025

Increasing violence in Benu state
Amnesty International has said that there has been a worrying increase in violent attacks in the Benue state. The organization said that the gunmen are committing the killings of people fearlessly and no legal action is being taken against them. Due to these attacks, people are being displaced on a large scale and food security is also in danger, because most of the dead are farmers.

Land dispute, religious and ethnic tension are the root of violence
The Benue state located in the middle belt of Nigeria is a confluence of Muslim and Christian communities of the north. This area often remains a center of disputes between shepherds and farmers over land use. While the shepherds are looking for pastures for cattle, farmers protest against the need for agricultural land. These conflicts often turn into ethnic and religious stresses.

The attack took place last month, so far more than 500 died
The incident took place at a time when at least 42 people were murdered in the attacks carried out by suspected shepherds in the Guar West district of Benua exactly a month ago. According to research firm SBM Intelligence, since 2019, more than 500 people have died in such violent clashes and about 2.2 million people have been forced to leave their homes.