Fear has returned to Yelwata community in Benue State after gunmen launched another deadly attack in the early hours of Monday, leaving many people shot and injured.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers came while residents were still sleeping, opening fire and causing panic across the area.
The latest violence has sparked a protest by local women, who marched through the streets calling for the withdrawal of soldiers stationed in the community. The women said they have lost faith in the security agents and demanded to be transported to Makurdi, the state capital, for safety.
“They should take us to Makurdi because the government cannot protect us,” one of the protesters said.
This new attack comes just two months after a horrific massacre on June 13, when gunmen believed to be herders stormed Yelwata and killed over 200 people, including internally displaced persons. Many victims were reportedly burned alive in that night of terror.
Yelwata, located in Guma Local Government Area, has become one of the flashpoints of violence in Benue, a state long troubled by clashes between farmers and suspected herders.
The residents are now pleading with both state and federal authorities to take urgent action and restore peace to the area.
