By Paschal Norbert
VATICAN CITY/BENUE, JUNE 16, 2025 (CISA) – Pope Leo has strongly condemned what he described as a “terrible massacre” in Yelwata, Benue State, Nigeria, where over 100 people, mostly internally displaced persons, were brutally murdered in an overnight raid by armed assailants.
“On the night of June 13–14, in the city of Yelwata, in the local administrative area of Gouma, in the State of Benue, Nigeria, there was a terrible massacre, in which about two hundred people were killed with extreme cruelty, most of whom were internally displaced, hosted by the local Catholic mission,” Pope Leo said on Sunday June 15, during his address ahead of the Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square.
“I pray that security, justice and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a country loved and so affected by various forms of violence. And I pray in a special way for the rural Christian communities of the State of Benue, who incessantly have been victims of violence,” the pontiff added solemnly, calling for prayers and action.
The Pope’s remarks followed chilling revelations by Amnesty International Nigeria, which reported that the June 13 to14 attack in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area, left at least 100 people dead, with dozens still missing and hundreds injured, many without access to medical care.
In a detailed statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) page, Amnesty decried the Nigerian government’s failure to stop what it called the “almost daily bloodshed” in Benue.
“The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelwata… shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working,” the rights group stated.
According to Amnesty, many families were locked in their homes and burned alive, and numerous bodies were charred beyond recognition. The attack, which began late Friday and continued into the early hours of Saturday, underscores a disturbing pattern of impunity in central Nigeria, where herder-farmer clashes and militia violence have become increasingly deadly.
“These attacks have been causing massive displacement and may affect food security as majority of the victims are farmers,” Amnesty warned, adding that without urgent government intervention, “many more lives may be lost.”
While Benue State authorities confirmed the attack, there were conflicting reports on the casualty figures. Tersoo Kula, spokesperson for the state governor’s office, acknowledged the incident and reported a lower death toll of 45, noting that several houses had been burnt down during the two-hour assault.
Police spokesperson Udeme Edet confirmed a confrontation between the attackers and security forces but did not give precise casualty numbers. However, residents interviewed by AFP painted a far more gruesome picture.
“It is terribly bad, many people have died,” said Amineh Liapha Hir, a resident of Yelwata. “It could be more than 100, and many houses were also burnt.”
Another witness, Christian Msuega, recounted narrowly escaping the onslaught. He revealed that his sister and brother-in-law perished after being burned alive in their home.
The Yelwata tragedy is the latest in a string of similar attacks in Benue State. Just last month, gunmen believed to be herders killed at least 20 people in Gwer West. The region, known for long-standing tensions between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farming communities, has witnessed a sharp uptick in violence, rooted in disputes over land and water access.
Despite repeated promises, the Nigerian government’s inability to contain the crisis has drawn intense criticism from human rights groups, religious leaders, and international observers.
As Pope Leo’s prayer resonated from Vatican City, calls are growing louder for Nigeria to end the cycle of violence and protect its most vulnerable citizens, before the nation’s heartland turns into a graveyard of unheeded warnings.
