By Prosper Mene
A recent devastating attack by suspected armed herders has left an estimated 200 people feared dead in Yelewata and Daudu communities of Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, with women and children among the hardest hit. The brutal assault, which occurred late Friday night, has caused outrage and grief, particularly among women who are mourning the loss of loved ones and grappling with displacement and trauma.
Local sources report that the assailants stormed the communities in a well-planned attack, targeting vulnerable groups, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), women, and children. Among the harrowing accounts, one woman in Yelewata reportedly lost five children and her mother in a single night of violence, a tragedy that has left the community reeling.
Women in the affected areas have been at the forefront of both suffering and resilience. In Apa Local Government Area, just weeks prior, women staged protests against the ongoing killings, demanding urgent action to protect their communities. The June 3 demonstration, underscored the growing desperation among women who face constant threats while trying to sustain their families in an agrarian region known as Nigeria’s “Food Basket.”
The attacks have compounded the challenges for women in Benue, where herder-farmer clashes have disrupted farming activities, leaving many female-headed households without livelihoods. “They killed women and even children as young as two years old,” a resident of Gwer West told the Daily Trust, describing a recent attack in the region. The violence has forced hundreds of women and their families to flee, with many taking refuge in makeshift shelters or nearby communities, further exposing them to risks of exploitation and insecurity.
Community leaders and eyewitnesses describe the attackers’ brutality, with women often targeted while tending to daily tasks or protecting their children. In a related incident in Apa LGA, 14 female traders were kidnapped while returning from a market in Enugu State, their whereabouts still unknown. The loss of women, who are often the backbone of rural economies, has deepened the crisis, with families like those in Ankpali burying 11 members in a single tragedy.
The Benue State Police Command has deployed security forces to restore order, but women in Yelewata and Daudu express frustration over the lack of proactive protection. “We are tired of running, tired of losing our children,” said a displaced mother in Yelewata, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. The absence of a robust security presence, despite nearby military checkpoints, has fueled accusations of neglect, with residents calling on Governor Hyacinth Alia and federal authorities to intervene decisively.
As the death toll rises and search efforts continue, women in Benue are demanding justice and safety.
The crisis cites the urgent need for policies like the 2017 open grazing ban to be enforced, as women and their communities face an escalating cycle of violence that threatens their survival.
