By Chioma Okoye

Leaders of Benue communities in the diaspora have condemned the escalating violence in their home state, describing the recent killings as a “silent genocide” targeting indigenous populations.

This reaction follows the June 14 massacre in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, where over 200 people were reportedly killed by suspected armed herders.

In an open letter jointly signed by Professor Akaa D. Ayangeakaa, representing the Tiv community in the diaspora, and Chief Edwin Ochai, representing the Idoma community, the group chronicled similar attacks in Ukum, Apa, Otukpo, and other local government areas. They urged President Bola Tinubu to act swiftly to end the bloodshed.

The group also expressed deep outrage over comments made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who described the killings as “reprisals” within a “farmer-herder conflict.” The diaspora leaders rejected this characterization, calling it dangerous and misleading. They insist that the attacks are systematic and amount to ethnic cleansing.

According to the letter, the federal government has failed to respond meaningfully to the violence or provide adequate security and humanitarian support to affected communities.

The diaspora leaders issued a series of demands, including immediate federal intervention, deployment of security forces, prosecution of perpetrators, resettlement of displaced persons, and an independent investigation into the Yelewata killings.

The letter reads in part:

“Over the past few months, towns and villages across Benue State have suffered relentless, planned, and brutal attacks. The violence has been both shocking and deeply upsetting. In Gbagir (Ukum LGA) in May, over 70 civilians were killed.

“On June 14, another massacre occurred in Yelewata (Guma LGA), claiming more than 200 lives. These were not casualties of conflict; these were executions. Whole families were murdered, homes reduced to ashes, and survivors left traumatized. Police personnel at the nearby station were reportedly overwhelmed.

“Similar tragedies have unfolded in Otukpo and Apa LGAs. Coordinated attacks in early 2024 resulted in mass killings, widespread displacement, and destruction of entire communities.

“From Agatu to Kwande, Gwer West, Logo, Katsina-Ala, and Makurdi’s rural areas, we have seen repeated cycles of violence. Benue has become a graveyard of lost dreams and shattered lives. Yet, there has been no significant federal response—no high-level visits, no arrests, no justice.

“Your Excellency, these are not isolated incidents. They are part of a disturbing campaign of ethnic cleansing and land grabbing targeting the indigenous people of Benue. Humanitarian agencies report that Benue now has over 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), living in overcrowded camps without access to basic needs.

“We were shocked and heartbroken by the June 15, 2025, statement by your Special Adviser, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, framing the massacres as ‘reprisal attacks’ in a ‘farmer-herder conflict.’ This narrative is not only inaccurate but offensive. These are not communal clashes. There were no provocations from our communities to warrant such brutality. What is happening is genocide.

“Was the 7-month-old baby hacked to death and burned alive a farmer? Were the infants who died in their mothers’ arms part of any conflict? To call these acts a ‘dispute’ is to mock the suffering of thousands.

“Mr. President, we reject your directive for the Governor of Benue State to convene reconciliation meetings. The people of Benue are not at war with Fulani herders or any other group. We are not part of a mutual conflict; we are victims of unprovoked and sustained terrorism.

“How can we reconcile with faceless attackers who strike without warning, kill without remorse, and vanish without trace? This is not a conflict. It is ethnic cleansing. It is terrorism.

“Calling it anything less trivializes the tragedy and emboldens the perpetrators. Real peace begins with truth, justice, and accountability.

“It is disingenuous to speak of reconciliation when no single herder has been arrested or prosecuted. Justice must precede peace, or peace becomes meaningless.

“Benue is not just any state—it is Nigeria’s food basket. Undermining its security threatens the country’s food supply and economic stability. To treat this crisis as a local matter is to ignore its national and regional implications.

“We voted overwhelmingly for your candidacy in 2023 because we believed in your message of renewed hope. Today, that hope is on the brink. The federal government must urgently act to restore security, resettle displaced communities, and ensure justice.

“We respectfully demand the following:

Public acknowledgment and condemnation of the killings in Gbagir, Yelewata, Otukpo, Apa, Logo, Kwande, and other affected areas as acts of terror and crimes against humanity.

Deployment of federal security forces to all at-risk LGAs including Guma, Logo, Ukum, Gwer West, Agatu, Apa, Otukpo, and Kwande.

An independent investigation into possible military negligence or complicity, particularly in Yelewata.

A federal resettlement and rehabilitation program for displaced persons, including restoration of homes, schools, and farms.

Recovery of ancestral lands under illegal occupation and assurance of safe return for IDPs.

Structured dialogue between the Federal Government and Benue stakeholders—not ‘warring parties’—to address root injustices and build lasting peace.

“True leadership is revealed in how leaders respond to the cry for justice. The people of Benue are not begging; we are asserting our constitutional right to life and safety.

“While we appreciate your reported decision to visit Benue on June 18, 2025, many feel this response has come too late. Had this level of violence occurred in Sokoto, Kano, or Maiduguri, the federal response would likely have been swifter and stronger.

“We ask again, with deep sorrow: Are Benue lives worth less?

“This is a defining moment for your administration. Let it be known not as the time Nigeria turned its back on Benue, but as the time it rose to protect justice, humanity, and peace.”