Justice in Motion: Security Forces Capture Suspects in Benue Mass Killings
Makurdi, Nigeria – June 23, 2025
In a significant development following the gruesome massacre in Yelwata village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, security operatives have announced the arrest of key suspects believed to be involved in the deadly attack that claimed dozens of lives.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Emenari Ifeanyi, made the disclosure during a press briefing on Sunday, stating that the arrests were the result of coordinated intelligence efforts by a joint security task force operating in Benue and neighbouring Nasarawa State.
According to Ifeanyi, one of the suspects is already assisting with investigations, while others were picked up based on credible intelligence linking them to the brutal assault. He assured the public that more arrests are expected as the operation continues.
The Yelwata attack, which occurred on June 18, left an estimated 150 people dead, with homes and a local market razed. Survivors described it as a well-coordinated night raid by suspected armed herders, reigniting fears of renewed ethnic violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier condemned the massacre and directed security agencies to swiftly arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. He also visited the state capital, Makurdi, where he assured grieving families that justice would be served.
In a related development, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) warned that the arrests would mean little without proper prosecution.
“We’ve seen this pattern before—mass killings followed by high-profile arrests, but no convictions. The Nigerian state must break this cycle of impunity,” Falana stated.
Former Benue Governor Samuel Ortom also weighed in, accusing the federal government of politicising security issues and failing to follow through on its own peace roadmaps for the region.
The latest arrests come amid increasing calls for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s rural security architecture, particularly in regions where farmer-herder clashes have left thousands dead over the past decade.
As the investigation deepens, families of the victims and civil society groups are urging transparency in the judicial process, and for the suspects to be swiftly charged and prosecuted.
