Benue State, Nigeria | June 18, 2025
The recent attack on Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State has sparked outrage among Nigerians at home and abroad, with members of the diaspora declaring their deepening disillusionment with the Federal Government’s handling of the country’s security crisis.
In a strongly worded statement circulating across diaspora platforms, a concerned citizen lamented:
The attack, which reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday, left several residents dead, homes razed, and scores displaced. Eyewitnesses say gunmen, believed to be armed herders, stormed the village and opened fire indiscriminately.
Local authorities confirmed the incident and expressed concern over the resurgence of violence in border communities. The Benue State Government has condemned the attack, calling on the military and federal security agencies to scale up operations in the area.
For Nigerians in the diaspora, many of whom continue to send remittances home and invest in local development, the continued bloodshed has become a source of emotional and psychological trauma.
Civil society groups are also demanding a national security overhaul and accountability for lapses that have allowed such attacks to persist, especially in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
The Yelwata attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents that have raised urgent questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security architecture and the protection of vulnerable communities.
As victims count their losses and calls for justice mount, observers say the Federal Government’s response in the coming days may be crucial in either restoring or permanently damaging public trust, both at home and among millions of Nigerians abroad.
