Survivors of the June 13 attack on Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State have provided harrowing accounts of the assault, as the Federal Government prepares to prosecute 26 individuals arrested in connection with the killings.

The testimonies were given during a town hall meeting in Makurdi on Thursday, organised by News Central TV, under the theme *“Crisis in the Heartland: Ending the Cycle of Violence in Benue.”* The gathering brought together victims, civil society groups, government representatives, and traditional leaders to discuss the crisis and identify paths to peace.

Joseph Kwagh, a survivor, said the attackers arrived during a downpour and began shooting indiscriminately. He said he lost eight members of his family that night. Another resident, Jerry Ayem, recounted that his mother and children were killed when armed men forced their way into her home. “They smashed through our door and attacked everyone. My family was hacked to death,” Ayem said.

David Ukeyima, who sustained gunshot and machete injuries, described how the attackers set his house on fire to force residents out. His wife and three children were killed in the process.

Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, co-founder of the non-governmental organisation Sesor, said the violence in Benue has gone beyond isolated farmer-herder clashes. She accused the government of failing in its duty to protect lives, citing over 622 attacks tracked in the state since 2009. “More than 1,100 people have been killed in the past two years, and over two million displaced,” she said. “These are coordinated attacks. What we are witnessing is ethnic cleansing.”

Denen Gbobgbon, President of the United Farmers Association in the Benue Valley, said the killings should not be described as farmer-herder conflicts. He alleged that the attackers were camped in nearby areas for months prior to the assault and accused traditional authorities in Nasarawa State of complicity in selling land to foreign groups. “We informed security agencies as early as November 2024 about their presence. Nothing was done,” he said.

Representing the herder community, Ibrahim Galma, Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Benue, said both farmers and herders have suffered losses. He noted that what began as local conflict has now been hijacked by criminals. “This is no longer a farmer-herder issue. Criminals have taken over,” Galma said. “Many Fulani families have also been displaced.”

Following public outrage over the attack, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced the arrest of 28 suspects on June 24. According to police sources, 26 of those suspects confessed to their involvement and were recommended for prosecution. However, their arraignment has been delayed, as the case has been transferred to the Ministry of Justice.

A police official familiar with the matter said, “The suspects should have been arraigned, but their file is now with the Ministry of Justice. The Office of the Attorney General will now handle the prosecution.”

Efforts to confirm the timeline for arraignment from the Ministry of Justice were unsuccessful, as officials were unavailable for comment at the time of reporting.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) said 5,294 individuals displaced by the attack are currently sheltered at a temporary camp at the Makurdi International Market. Among them are 2,536 children and 380 pregnant women.

Camp manager Robert Nyom stated that the government has not begun returning people to their ancestral homes, citing the need for adequate security and welfare provisions before such a move.

The attack on Yelewata and Daudu is one of the deadliest in recent months and has reignited concerns over insecurity in Benue and across the Middle Belt region.