He said, “This heinous act cannot go unanswered. The perpetrators must be swiftly identified, apprehended, and prosecuted”
“This Horror Must Not Be Ignored” — Saraki Condemns Yelewata Massacre, Demands Urgent Security Overhaul
Former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has condemned the horrifying massacre that left over 200 people dead in Yelewata, Benue State, describing it as a “tragic, terrifying, and unacceptable” act of violence that underscores the worsening insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
In a solemn statement issued on Sunday, Saraki expressed outrage over the coordinated night attack in which victims—mostly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)—were reportedly ambushed, butchered, and burned alive by unknown assailants. He described the scale of the violence as one of the worst in recent memory.
“The cruellest detail is that the majority of the victims were Internally Displaced Persons,” Saraki said. “They had already fled their ancestral homes, seeking refuge, only for that terror to hunt them down in a place of supposed safety.”
He further revealed that a second wave of violence claimed the lives of some security personnel who responded to the scene, deepening the scale of the tragedy.
Calling the incident a national tragedy that demands immediate and decisive action, Saraki urged Nigeria’s security agencies to re-evaluate their strategy in the Benue-Nasarawa corridor and the wider North Central region.
“This heinous act cannot go unanswered. The perpetrators must be swiftly identified, apprehended, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he stated.
Saraki also extended condolences to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the people of Benue State, and families of the victims, noting: “My thoughts are with the families of the victims and the entire Benue community. May they find strength and justice in the face of this devastating tragedy.”
The Yelewata massacre, now regarded as one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent years, has reignited national concern over Nigeria’s fragile security architecture and the plight of displaced communities living under constant threat. Read More
