Nigerian Senate Decries Benue Massacre, Signals Robust Action To Tackle Security Crisis.
The Nigerian Senate has voiced profound dismay over the worsening security situation across the nation, declaring it is “tired of mourning” in the wake of a horrific massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, where over 200 lives were tragically lost. The statement, issued on 17 June 2025, reflects growing frustration among lawmakers as they grapple with recurrent violence in regions such as Benue, Borno, and Plateau.
The attack, which occurred on Friday, 13 June 2025, in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, saw armed assailants, suspected to be linked to herder communities, kill over 200 people, predominantly women and children, and displace more than 3,000 residents. Survivors recounted the anguish of the overnight raid, which lasted over two hours with little resistance from security forces. The Senate’s response underscores a collective exhaustion with offering condolences while the bloodshed persists unabated.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, articulated the chamber’s exasperation during a session with journalists. “We are tired of paying condolence visits. We are tired of mourning our people from Plateau today, Benue tomorrow, and Borno the day after,” he said. The Senate announced that a delegation of lawmakers will accompany President Bola Tinubu on a solidarity visit to Benue on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, to demonstrate national support for the grieving communities and to assess the crisis firsthand.
In a bid to address the escalating violence, the Senate revealed plans to convene a national security summit, involving not only the military but also civil society organisations, media, women, youth, and other stakeholders. “Enough is enough,” Adaramodu stressed, emphasising the need for urgent and resolute action to curb the “sporadic and increasingly deadly” attacks.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, who visited Yelewata alongside Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun on Monday, echoed the Senate’s sentiments, describing the massacre as “one killing too many.” Musa raised concerns about insider collaboration, noting that the targeted nature of the attacks suggested complicity within some quarters. To bolster local security, he proposed training credible youths as vigilantes under military supervision, a strategy previously employed in Borno State.
However, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia rejected calls for residents to resort to self-defence, warning that such measures could exacerbate the crisis. Instead, he advocated for a robust community policing system, urging communities to support coordinated efforts to restore peace. “I would encourage us all to keep calling for community policing because it’s the only way,” Alia stated during an appearance on AIT’s Kakaaki programme.
The violence in Benue, driven by longstanding tensions between nomadic herders and sedentary farming communities over land and resources, has drawn international attention. The Catholic Pope and other world leaders have urged Nigerian authorities to act decisively, while the United Nations has called for justice for the victims.
Public sentiment on X reflects a mix of anger and despair, with users demanding urgent security reforms and some calling for a state of emergency in Benue. “Lawmakers admit failure; calls grow for security reform or emergency rule,” one post noted, capturing the growing pressure on the government to act.
As President Tinubu prepares to visit Makurdi today, joined by Senate leaders, the nation watches closely for concrete steps to address the crisis. The Senate’s commitment to a national security summit and General Musa’s push for community-based vigilantes signal a shift towards more collaborative strategies, but the challenge remains daunting as Nigeria grapples with porous borders and internal sabotage.
The Federal Government has urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies, while the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, has pledged to restore peace in Benue’s troubled communities. For now, the people of Yelewata and other affected areas await justice and lasting solutions to end the cycle of violence.
