By Olokuta Rofiat
Following the recent violent attacks on the Yelwa-Tiv community in Benue State, over 107 victims are currently receiving medical care at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), in Makurdi.
The assault, which occurred a few days ago, left dozens injured and sparked widespread fear across the affected local government areas.
Health officials confirmed that most of the victims sustained gunshot wounds and machete cuts during the coordinated attack.
According to hospital management, emergency personnel have been working around the clock to stabilize patients; some of whom have undergone surgery, while others will require long-term care.
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, visited the hospital on July 16, 2025, to assess the situation and provide support.
During the visit, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Sir James Iorpuu, condemned the incident as “a barbaric and senseless act of violence against innocent citizens.”
He assured victims of continued government support through relief efforts and medical assistance.
The attack, believed to have been carried out by suspected armed herders, is part of the ongoing cycle of violence between farming communities and militias in Benue State.
The Yelwa-Tiv area has long been a hotspot for clashes rooted in land disputes and security breakdowns. Local leaders have repeatedly appealed for urgent federal intervention.
Speaking to reporters, survivors shared harrowing accounts of the attack, where homes were set ablaze, crops destroyed, and family members remain missing.
One 39-year-old farmer, hospitalized with a leg injury, tearfully recounted that his wife and two children had not been seen since the incident.
Community leaders have urged both state and federal security agencies to strengthen their presence in the region to prevent further violence.
They also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators, criticizing what they described as the government’s slow and reactive approach to rural insecurity.
As BSUTH continues to care for the wounded, human rights organizations and civil society groups are advocating for increased investment in community-based security systems and psychosocial support for victims.
With over a hundred still hospitalized and many more displaced, the Yelwa-Tiv attack adds to Benue’s growing humanitarian crisis and underscores the urgency of resolving Nigeria’s rural insecurity.
This tragedy is yet another painful reminder of the human cost of unresolved conflict in the country’s agricultural heartland, where vulnerable communities are often left unprotected in the face of armed violence.
For the survivors at BSUTH, the road to recovery will be long, but their resilience speaks to a deeper hope for lasting peace in the region.
