“They Shot My Mother, Slashed My Children!” — Heart-Wrenching Tale From Benue Survivor
Follow on Google News 
The pain and trauma of Benue State’s worsening security crisis were laid bare as survivors of the Yelewata massacre shared heart-wrenching testimonies before a solemn gathering in Makurdi.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The occasion was the News Central Town Hall themed “Crisis in the Heartland: Ending the Cycle of Violence in Benue,” which brought together community leaders, security officials, civil society advocates, and victims.
According to NIVONEWS, one survivor, her voice trembling with emotion, recounted the horror that unfolded on June 13: “Around 10 p.m., the Fulanis entered and started shooting. They struck down our door. They killed my children and my mother… they cut them with machetes,” she said, drawing gasps and tears from attendees.
The Yelewata attack, described by many as one of the deadliest in recent memory, left over 100 people dead—though some estimates, according to NIVONEWS, put the number closer to 200. The assailants targeted both local residents and displaced persons taking refuge in the area, murdering indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze. Victims included women, children, and the elderly—some killed in their homes, others while fleeing in terror.
Tavershima Orlalumunga, a local farmer, also shared his story: “The attackers cut my hand for refusing the cows to feed on my crops,” he said, holding up his bandaged arm as a grim symbol of the brutality.
The scale of devastation has also unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe. More than 6,500 people have been displaced by the massacre and related attacks, many now crammed into overcrowded camps with little access to food, shelter, or healthcare.
The Town Hall served as both a platform for grief and a call to action. Traditional rulers and civil society groups demanded accountability and swift security interventions, warning that impunity would only fuel further bloodshed. While President Bola Tinubu has visited the state and directed security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators, frustration remains high over what survivors describe as a lack of justice and protection.
According to NIVONEWS, community voices at the forum emphasized that the violence in Benue is no longer just a series of isolated attacks—it is a systemic assault on vulnerable populations, enabled by weak security response and institutional failure.
As the event drew to a close, the testimonies of survivors, especially that of the grieving Yelewata mother, served as a haunting reminder of the human toll. Their appeals were not just for sympathy but for decisive action, reconciliation, and long-overdue reform of the nation’s security architecture.
The News Central Town Hall, by giving voice to the afflicted, has yet again spotlighted the desperate need for peace, justice, and political will to end the carnage in Benue State.
”NIVONEWS REPORTS”
Comments
0