Civil society group, Lawyers Alert, has condemned the killing of over 200 people in Yelewata, Guma LGA of Benue, saying the attack is “genocide” and not a communal conflict as suggested by the presidency.
Rommy Mom, president of Lawyers Alert, in a statement on Monday, said the June 14 massacre primarily targeted internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom had previously fled similar attacks.
He said over 90 percent of the victims were IDPs who were “hunted down, trapped, burned alive, or brutally butchered while seeking refuge in storage shelters”.
“This atrocity is yet another tragic example of the daily terror faced by rural communities in Benue state,” he said.
He expressed outrage that despite over 1,000 deaths recorded in Benue in the past year, there had been no arrests, prosecutions or credible investigations.
“The attackers, often moving in large numbers on motorcycles, continue to operate freely and with impunity,” Mom said.
He said this reality “raises serious questions about the state’s capacity and will to protect its people”.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu to deploy a military battalion to secure vulnerable communities in the state and establish a special intervention fund to support victims.
It also demanded tools, vehicles, intelligence, and equipment to track and prosecute the perpetrators.
Reacting to Tinubu’s recent comment describing the killings as a “conflict between warring communities,” Lawyers Alert said the statement “demonstrates a serious misreading of the situation”.
“There are no warring factions. Benue’s citizens are under siege by organised and well-armed marauders carrying out what amounts to ethnic cleansing and land grabbing.
“This is not communal conflict. It is genocide,” the group stated.
The group also faulted the silence of Governor Hyacinth Alia, describing his failure to address the state after such a mass killing as “disheartening”.
“In times of crisis, the people need strong, vocal, and visible leadership that tells the truth and demands action from the federal government,” Mom said.
Lawyers Alert also rejected calls for a state of emergency in Benue, warning that such a move would undermine democratic governance and set a dangerous precedent.
As a lasting solution, the organization advocated for rights-based, community-led approaches to security.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
