SGF Akume Condemns ‘Mindless Barbarism’ in Benue,Over 200 Killed

Makurdi, Benue State – The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has vehemently condemned the horrific attacks by terrorists in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, which occurred last weekend, from Friday, June 13 to Saturday, June 14, 2025. Reports indicate that over 200 innocent persons, primarily women and children, were brutally killed, with many bodies burned beyond recognition.

The attacks, described by Akume’s spokesperson, Terrence Kuanum, as “mindless barbarism,” saw armed assailants, suspected to be armed herders, storm the community, including an IDP camp within the market square, setting homes ablaze and attacking those who tried to flee. Some victims were Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who had sought refuge in Yelewata, believing it to be a safer area.

Akume, a former governor of Benue State, expressed his profound sorrow and extended condolences to the victims’ families and sympathies to the survivors. He called for an immediate end to such “dastardly acts everywhere in Nigeria.”

The tragedy has drawn widespread condemnation both locally and internationally. Plan International Nigeria, a children and girls’ rights organization, issued a statement on June 16, 2025, condemning the violence and highlighting the devastating impact on children and women. Similarly, Pope Leo XIV, on Sunday, offered prayers for the victims of the “terrible massacre,” noting that many of the victims were IDPs sheltered by the local Catholic mission.

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Amnesty International Nigeria has also called on authorities to swiftly end the bloodshed and bring perpetrators to justice.Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the assault as an “unnecessary bloodbath” and has dispatched emergency teams to assist victims.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has also reportedly arrived in Benue and deployed more tactical teams to the area.Meanwhile, citizens and celebrities alike have voiced outrage. Musicians 2Baba, AY, Olamide, and actress Kate Henshaw are among those demanding urgent action.

There have also been protests in Makurdi, with youths demonstrating against the incessant killings and demanding greater government intervention.SGF Akume expressed optimism in President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Service Chiefs to end insecurity in Benue.

He urged the people of Benue not to despair but to remain determined and cooperate with security agencies, emphasizing that defeating insecurity is central to the Tinubu administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”