A civil society organization, Lawyers Alert (LA) has expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the horrific killings of over 200 defenceless persons on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue state.
President of Lawyers Alert, Rommy Mom, in a statement made available to the Sun condemned the attack primarily targeting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), describing it as a gross violation of the right to life.
Referring to reports saying over 90 percent of the victims were IDPs who had previously fled similar attacks, only to be hunted down, trapped, burned alive, or brutally butchered while seeking refuge in storage shelters, Mom said “This atrocity is yet another tragic example of the daily terror faced by rural communities in Benue State.
Mon lamented that despite more than 1,000 deaths in Benue in the past year, due to similar attacks, not a single arrest, prosecution, or credible investigation has been carried out.
He said “The attackers, often moving in large numbers on motorcycles, continue to operate freely and with impunity, raising serious questions about the state’s capacity and will to protect its people.
Lawyers Alert called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently deploy a military battalion to protect Benue communities, establish a special intervention fund, and provide the tools, vehicles, intelligence, and equipment, needed to track and prosecute these perpetrators of this heinous crimes.
“We acknowledge the recent statement by President Tinubu following the attack; however, the call for reconciliation between so-called “warring communities” demonstrates a serious misreading of the situation.
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“There are no warring factions, Benue’s citizens are under siege by organized and well-armed marauders carrying out what amounts to ethnic cleansing and land grabbing. This is not communal conflict. It is genocide.
“We further call on the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to show leadership and empathy. It is disheartening that following such a mass killing, the Governor’s failure to addressed the state, gives room for serious concern.
“In times of crisis, the people need a strong, vocal, and visible leadership that tells the truth and demands action from the federal government.
Lawyers Alert disagreed with callers of a state of emergency in Benue noting that while insecurity is alarming, a declaration of emergency rule would undermine democratic governance and could set a dangerous precedent for circumventing constitutional order.
As a way forward, Lawyers Alert strongly advocates for rights-based, community-led approaches to public safety.
Mom said in partnership with security agencies and community stakeholders, LA have successfully implemented the Community Policing and Accountability Project in Guma and Katsina-Ala LGAs, enhancing early warning systems, trust-building, and human rights-based policing in line with the Police Act 2020.
He urged the federal and state governments to replicate and invest in Community Policing Committees (CPCs) as provided in the law saying such locally rooted structures have proven effective in strengthening community resilience, reducing violence, and restoring public trust in security agencies.