A renewed spate of violence in Benue State has claimed over 100 lives in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, following a late-night attack by suspected gunmen who razed homes and opened fire on sleeping villagers. Human rights groups warn the death toll may climb to 200 as search efforts continue for missing residents in surrounding areas.

Amid national outrage and sorrow, Nigerian lawyer and civic advocate, Samuel Oluwatosin Orekoya, has joined voices calling for urgent action. In a statement released on Saturday, the founder of the Lux Mundi Leadership Foundation and convener of the InsideNIGERIA civic platform condemned the killings and urged for “honest, constructive dialogue” to end what he described as a deadly cycle of reprisal attacks.

“We mourn with every farming family in Yelewata who has lost a father, a mother, child, or friend,” Orekoya said. “The soil of the Middle Belt is too soaked with tears. It is time we replace bullets with conversation and insecurity with inclusive development.”

He proposed a six-point peace blueprint which includes the establishment of joint peace committees led by traditional rulers and youth leaders to mediate disputes between herders and farmers, and the deployment of rapid-response units comprising police officers and Benue Community Volunteer Guards, equipped with surveillance tools and forensic mapping to track armed groups.

Orekoya also recommended the introduction of mobile courts backed by federal judges to ensure swift prosecution of suspects, the launch of early-warning hotlines under the National Orientation Agency for villagers to report threats without fear, and the provision of trauma care and livelihood grants for displaced families, particularly women. He further called for the creation of agritech innovation hubs in Makurdi, Gboko, and Katsina-Ala to engage unemployed youths in mechanised farming and agro-business.

“These killings are not merely a law-enforcement failure; they are also an economic emergency,” he noted, citing warnings from Amnesty International that continued violence could severely undermine Benue’s agricultural stability.

While Governor Hyacinth Alia has condemned the attack and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice, Orekoya urged the state government to go beyond statements and convene an emergency peace summit in Makurdi. He said such a summit should include traditional rulers, Fulani herder associations, security agencies, and civil society groups.

“Benue’s tragic headlines have become too frequent. We need fewer press statements and more shared tables of dialogue,” he said, adding that InsideNIGERIA is ready to support youth inclusion in such efforts.

Orekoya also addressed the federal government directly, calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to treat rural massacres with the same urgency as urban terror attacks. He proposed the creation of a dedicated North-Central Stabilisation Fund in the 2026 national budget.

“If Benue collapses, Nigeria’s food basket collapses. The centre must hold—both figuratively and in federal policy,” he added.

As residents in Yelewata and surrounding communities bury their dead and search for the missing, the need for a sustainable peace solution has never been more urgent. Whether Orekoya’s blueprint gains traction remains uncertain, but for grieving families, any step toward peace is welcome.