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Yelewata, Benue State | By Prime Brief Media

A solemn gathering marked the unveiling of the Yelewata Genocide Memorial Monument on Friday, June 12, 2026, as community members, church leaders and international advocates paid tribute to victims of the June 13 and 14, 2025 attacks on Yelewata, a farming community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The monument was unveiled by the Chief Executive Officer of Equipping the Persecuted (ETP), Mr Judd Saul, and facilitated by legal practitioner and Knight of Columbus, Franc Utoo. According to organisers, the memorial bears the names of more than 270 victims reportedly killed during the attacks and was erected to ensure their memories are permanently preserved.

Speaking during the ceremony, Saul described the monument as a symbol of remembrance and a call for greater attention to the plight of affected communities. He said the memorial was intended to honour those who lost their lives and to reinforce ongoing advocacy efforts aimed at ending violence and supporting victims. Saul reaffirmed Equipping the Persecuted's commitment to humanitarian assistance, solidarity with affected communities and engagement with policymakers internationally on issues relating to violence and displacement.

The ETP delegation was received by the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, who reiterated concerns about proposals to permanently resettle displaced persons away from their ancestral communities. According to the bishop, returning displaced residents to their ancestral lands remains the most sustainable long-term solution to the crisis. He argued that permanent relocation could raise questions about ownership and access to ancestral farmlands and community heritage. Bishop Anagbe also commended ETP for its support to victims and vulnerable communities affected by violence.

Speaking on the significance of the project, Franc Utoo said the monument serves as a historical record and a reminder of the human cost of violence. According to him, preserving the names of victims ensures future generations remember what happened and reinforces the need to prevent similar tragedies.

The Yelewata Massacre: A Dark Anniversary

The June 13–14, 2025 attacks on Yelewata remain one of the deadliest incidents in the recurring farmer‑herder violence that has plagued Benue State. According to Amnesty International, gunmen invaded the community from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday, killing scores and injuring many others. Many victims were burned alive after being locked in their homes, and dozens of residents remain missing. The attack reportedly lasted over two hours without meaningful security intervention, with survivors recounting systematic house burnings and executions.

The parish priest of Yelewata, Fr Ukuma Jonathan Angbianbee, told Aid to the Church in Need that when he visited the square, "people were slaughtered. Corpses were scattered everywhere". He added that some people were so badly burned that it was difficult to identify them. He had seen the militants before going to shelter in his presbytery. "They were definitely Fulanis. They were shouting 'Allahu Akhbar'," he said.

Pope Leo XIV condemned the "terrible massacre" and told crowds in St Peter's Square that he was praying for "security, justice, and peace in Nigeria". The Roman Catholic pontiff added that rural Christian communities of Benue State had been "relentless victims of violence".

Memorial Service and Calls for Justice

The unveiling forms part of activities marking the first anniversary of the attacks. A memorial service is expected to be held on June 13, led by Bishop Anagbe alongside bishops, priests and pastors in honour of those who lost their lives.

A statement from the Central Planning Committee signed by Andy Nomsoor invited the general public to attend the unveiling and commissioning. The organisers described the occasion as one held in remembrance of the departed, solidarity with survivors, and hope for justice and a peaceful future.

The Senate had earlier called on security agencies to thoroughly investigate the massacre and ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice. The Senate also urged the federal and Benue State governments to reconstruct destroyed properties, compensate affected families, and deploy more military personnel to secure Yelewata and other troubled areas. Senator Titus Zam, who sponsored the motion, described the killings as "systematic and genocidal," citing reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on the scale and precision of the attack.

The Yelewata Genocide Memorial Monument

The monument is expected to stand as a permanent tribute to the victims and a call for an end to such violence. Community members and concerned Nigerians have been urged to attend and support the memorial event. The memorial bears the names of the victims and was erected to ensure their memories are permanently preserved. The unveiling forms part of activities marking the first anniversary of the attacks.

International Reactions and Continuing Advocacy

The massacre drew widespread international condemnation. Amnesty International accused the Nigerian government of failing to prevent escalating violence in the region, stating that the government's response to the violence was ineffective and insufficient. The organisation warned that the continued violence in Benue is forcing people to flee their homes and may lead to food shortages since many of the victims are farmers.

The Church of Nigeria described the attack as the work of "a well-trained, well-equipped and well-funded" Fulani Islamist militia group. The Ven. Dr Hassan John, Director of Research for the Church of Nigeria, told the Church Times that the perpetrators and their sponsors are known and that their agenda, under the guise of fighting over grazing land, has been "to strategically wipe out villages, particularly Christian villages".

The Alliance of Yoruba Democratic Movement (AYDM), a coalition of 130 pan‑Yoruba and Itsekiri groups, condemned the massacre and accused a section of the Fulani leadership of pursuing an age‑long agenda of political domination and land grabbing. The group warned that the growing boldness of the militias cannot be separated from political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Prime Brief Media will continue to monitor the implementation of the Borno Model and its impact on long‑term security in the North‑East.