Nigeria - Yelwata Massacre redefines the farmer-herder conflict in the Middle-belt of Benue State

Intelligence Update:

• More than 100 people were killed and dozens injured after gunmen on motorcycles launched a coordinated attack in the Yelwata community, Guma local government area, Benue State.

• Eyewitnesses and locals, who put the casualty toll at around 200, reported that the attackers arrived in the town and opened fire for a prolonged period before setting several houses on fire.

• The gunmen, identified by locals as herders, arrived around 2200hrs (local) on 13 June 2025 and remained in the community for up to five hours.

• Most of the victims, including children and women, were trapped inside their homes and burned to death.

• Some members of the security forces were also among the dead, and several people are still reported missing.

• Military officials have launched a major operation to arrest those responsible for the killings.

What is behind the violence?

Benue State, like other states in the middle belt region, such as Plateau and Nasarawa, has faced a farmer-herder crisis for decades. The issue stems from competition for land between mostly Muslim herders and Christian farmers, due to climate change. These states are major food-producing areas with fertile land. Community members, who primarily engage in farming, have historically accused cattle owners of destroying their crops while searching for food for their livestock. This has led to violence and clashes between both sides. Some officials have blamed politicians, saboteurs, and herders from outside Nigeria for the violence. Such accusations are common in the country, particularly in the northeast, where state government officials often accuse military personnel of colluding with jihadists.

Timeline of some recent incidents:

The latest attack is described as one of the worst in Benue State in recent years. Prior to this incident, multiple organisations have provided some statistics on detailing number of deaths and those displaced. According to Amnesty International, over 6,800 people have been killed in Benue State from 2004 to May 2025. The International Organisation for Migration reports that more than 500,000 people were internally displaced in Benue as of 2024, a number that continues to grow with incidents like Yelwata driving people away from their homes. In April 2025, at least 56 people were killed over the Easter weekend in Logo and Ukum local government areas. Reports indicated that suspected herders were responsible for these attacks.

In May, more than 45 people were killed across several parts of the state. In a separate attack in June, around 58 people were killed in Apa and Gwer West local governments. The month of June alone has seen casualties that triple those of the previous two months. Between 08 and 12 June 2025, at least nine people were killed while farming in Unongu, Daudu, and Nyiev in Guma local government area. Most attacks occur at night or in the early morning, and trend shows that violence intensifies as the rainy season reaches its peak. The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has repeatedly distanced itself from the attacks targeting farmers. In their defence, the group also claimed that in 2025, 57 herders were killed in the state due to the crisis.

Government’s response:

Both kinetic and non-kinetic measures have proven ineffective in resolving the crisis. In 2018, the federal government launched “Operation Whirl Stroke” in Benue and other states facing similar issues, but this operation has not achieved any evident success. Last month, Forest Guards were deployed across several states, including Benue. Governor Hyacinth has called on the federal government to impose a national open grazing under the ‘Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017’ as a means to end the conflict. This topic remains controversial, as some stakeholders have opposed the bill. Although the past administration in Benue managed to implement the law, compliance remains a major issue, as many herders continue to graze their cattle freely, leading to further clashes.

Additionally, weak responses from security personnel have contributed to the high number of casualties. Some attacks can last for several hours without any military intervention, as seen in the Yelwata case, which lasted five hours. Even more concerning, army officials claimed they were given wrong information that the attack would occur elsewhere, which turned out to be false. This reveals loopholes in intelligence-gathering and coordination among security forces. Lastly, government forces/officials have been unable to make arrests or prosecute the criminals, further emboldening the criminals.

What are the implications for national and regional security?

The conflict in Benue and other parts of the middle belt highlights ongoing internal crises, but it has the potential to escalate into a wider regional problem with repeated accusations of foreign armed men entering these states. This situation could lead to increased violence and instability not just in Benue, but also in neighbouring countries which can mirror Boko Haram’s cross border attacks between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Continuous violence across these affected states may lead to widespread unrest. The recent killings in Yelwata have stirred anger and outrage among Nigerians.. Days after the incident, residents staged a protest in the capital city of Makurdi, which turned violent when police dispersed the crowd and arrested around 14 people. Repeated demonstrations such as these, can trigger more police action and lead to further tension in the state.