JUNE TOP SCOOPS IN NIGERIA

 

BY- EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN

Imagine living your life with purpose, making plans for the future, only to have it all taken away in an instant? One moment you are alive and healthy, and the next, you are gone, due to a brutal attack that was carried out by some group who share similar human conditions and experiences.

On Friday, June 13th, into the early hours of Saturday, June 14th, 2025, a tragic incident struck Yelewata town in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, which was perpetrated by a group of armed persons, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. This attack resulted in a minimum of 150 fatalities (deaths), with some reports estimating the death toll to be around 200. This is not the first time we have experienced or heard of similar attacks recurring across various states in our nation.

Following the attack, Nigerian activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as "Verydarkman," visited the crime scene and provided the public with videos highlighting how severe the crisis was. On Sunday, June 15th, 2025, a peaceful protest was held by some youths in Makurdi, the state capital, at the Wurukum food basket roundabout, which Verydarkman later joined, as were calling on the federal and state government to respond to the incident by providing solutions and ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. It was reported that security agents took action against the protesters, using tear gas to disperse the crowd and making several arrests after tensions went up when The Deputy Governor of the state, Sam Ode showed up to calm down the protesters.

However, they didn't listen as they insisted that the Governor should be physically present to address their concerns. Things quickly escalated as police and military personnel stepped in with patrol vans that was stationed at the scene, with a police helicopter hovering over the protesters, before they evacuated the Deputy governor off the scene.

It was also reported that same-day, that a separate group of hoodlums blocked a roadway in Apir, on the outskirts of Makurdi. They forcefully stopped a truck, and set it ablaze with the driver who is yet to be identified trapped inside, these led to the arrest of 14 suspects by the police.

✓ KEY RESPONSES TO THE ATTACK

In response to the attack on June 15th, it was reported by national dailies that Pope Leo XIV made a speech before the Angelus prayer on Saturday, at the Vatican, condemning the killing as he described it as a "terrible massacre" and prayed that justice, security, and peace should be restored in Nigeria. 

Same-day after Pope Leo addressed the issue, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a statement around 9:24 pm (21:24 WAT) on X (formerly Twitter), via his official verified page. He directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and advised political and community leaders to avoid making any statement capable of escalating tension and called on the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to lead reconciliation and dialogue to bring peace.

On June 15th, it was reported that the Benue State Emergency Management Agency relocated the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Yelewata to Makurdi International Market. The permanent secretary of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Dr. James Iorpuu, expressed his gratitude for the immediate collaboration in evacuating affected persons.

Adhering to the instruction by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, alongside some top security chiefs, including the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Chief of Defense Staff, Christopher Musa, on Monday, June 16th, visited Yelewata, as they met with community leaders to address the issue and promised it would be the last time such an attack would repeat itself. They called for community cooperation to tackle the issue.

International organizations like the United Nations (UN) and Amnesty International also through their socials and media briefing, condemned the attack on innocent citizens and emphasized the need for the Nigerian government to take immediate action to stem the killing and bloodshed.

On Wednesday, June 18th, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited the state, met with stakeholders, including traditional and opinion leaders like Professor James Ayatse the Tor Tiv and Chairman of Benue State Council Of Traditional Rulers. He also met with religious leaders, youth groups and security officials on ground.

The Secretary to the Federal Government, Gorge Akume, and former governors of the state were present. President Tinubu also extended his visit to some of the victims of the attack in a hospital in Makurdi, the state capital. While addressing the people, President Tinubu commiserated with the victims and their loved ones and pledged to restore peace and bring justice. He further directed the security chiefs and the IGP of the police to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested. He questioned why no arrest had been made after the attack.

On Thursday, June 19th, it was reported by national dailies that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) leadership in the state, evacuated and relocated corp members serving in affected communities to NYSC "Family Houses" in Makurdi due to the crisis to ensure they are safe. This was revealed by the state coordinator, Mrs. Veronica Garba, via an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in wannune, Tarka LGA.

Same-day, there was a protest by the displaced persons from Yelewata community in Guma LGA of the state, over the feeding and bad state of living in the IDP camp that was provided by the state government. They were camped at the International Market located in the State Market, Makurdi.

On June 24th, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced the arrest of 26 suspects linked to the Yelewata attack, 22 linked to a Plateau State attack, and another 5 suspects arrested due to another recent attack in Benue, where two truck travelers were killed in the Agan Area.

✓ CRITICISMS TO SOME OF THE RESPONSES

√  The first response by the president, via X (formerly Twitter), was criticized by some Nigerians online, as they lamented about the late concern. Some linked the president's statement to be prompted by Pope Leo and other international organization condemnation. Recall that the president made a post on Sunday, June 15th, around 9:24 pm, after Pope Leo made a speech condemning the attack before the Angelus prayer on Sunday morning. They believe that the president was supposed to address the issue before anyone or external individual/organization, as it would show care for the citizens (the affected persons in particular). The delay was perceived and criticized as insensitive.

√ The absence of security agents and the media on the crime scene immediately after the incident occured, raised questions about their effectiveness. Evaluating comments online, people believe that the presence of the media could have helped provide timely information to the public, just like Verydarkman did. It is expected that the media should have field reporter(s)/crime reporters on the scene immediately, unless there was a restriction, which is not supposed to affect journalists from doing their jobs or if they have more important stories to cover. 

√ The letter from Francis Ngutswen, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Groups Mobilisation, sparked controversy, it was Dated June 17th. The letter invited registered support groups to participate in a procession to welcome the President, wearing designated uniforms. This was massively faulted as the public perceived it to be very insensitive. Instead of displaying grief for the lost ones, they were planning a colourful ceremonial welcome for the president.

√ Additionally, June 18th was declared a public holiday in the state to "honour" the President's visit. Many people criticized this move, arguing that declaring a holiday to honour the President's visit seemed misguided. They felt that if the goal was hinged on creating chance for people, especially civil servants, to attend the town hall meeting or follow up live via the media, it would have been better rather than framing it as an honour to the President, neglecting what led to the visit and situation of things at the period.

 ✓  SUGGESTED WAY FORWARD

I believe that our government needs to build trust with its citizens. Unfortunately, many Nigerians don't trust the government. Even when they are putting in measures to prove that they are trying their best. The primary responsibility of any government is to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. This is achieved through our security personnels.

 Our leaders has a significant role to play in prioritizing the citizens' safety. I might not be in the right position to proffer solution to insecurity in the country, because am not even a trained security personnel. But I will still pen down my suggestions, some coined from other existing suggestions by the public/government, with infusion of my opinion.

• I Support the allocation of land for ranching, which would provide a specific area for herdsmen to graze their cattle, reducing conflicts over land ownership and encroachment of their cattles into public or private properties (authorized palaces).

It is also essential to establish an associations/communities for herdsmen in each state, with leaders who can be held accountable for their members' actions. This would help distinguish between genuine herdsmen and those who impersonate them to create chaos. There is a debate on the allocation of land to them in some states, as some felt it might lead to land dispute or grabbing in future. To prevent this, each state government, the herders and federal government could sign a formal agreement that outlines the terms of land use. The agreement can be called "Ranching Lease Agreement". It will stipulate the following; 

√ The specific boundaries of the land given.

√ The purpose

√ How long the land can be used for ranching.

√ The Taxing format

This would actually help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that the land is used for its intended purpose. 

However, it is important that rotational grazing, should be considered and this is very important to prevent overgrazing and allow the grasses to recover. Overgrazing can lead to soil degradation, affect grass growth and cattle productivity. 

• I also support community policing, which might serve as an effective way to monitor cattle movement and prevent encroachment on public or private properties. If any cattle encroaches to unauthorized areas, it will be slaughtered and fed to prisoners. Just like what The Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, announced last two months ( April) in Ghana. Implementing such policies will definitely help to curb the issue of cattle encroachment to farm lands or road blocking.

I appreciate the efforts of our security personnel, but it is disturbing that we still experience high level of insecurity despite their presence. The government should consider extending military barracks in rural areas to strengthen security and increase the presence of security personnel in areas prone to this attacks. However, I urge our security agents to avoid any form of partisanship and work with patriotism. Seeing some disturbing video online showing them with some armed persons who aren't dressed in uniform, and obviously not security personnels displaying too much familiarity have alot of message it passes. 

On a community level, I believe we should avoid using hate or preconceived notions and Story to fuel conflicts. While some attacks might be triggered by the herdsmen. I also believe that at times some attitudes or actions of community members towards herdsmen are based on rumors, stories and perceptions about them, and this could trigger fight and retaliations. By working together, I believe we can find solutions to these complex issues and create a safer, more secure environment for everyone.

Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin is a freelance journalist, who writes in from Lagos.

NB: This article was originally published on Champion Newspaper on July 1st, 2025.