Between 100 and 200 Christians were murdered by Fulani Jihadists herdsmen in Nigeria’s Benue State, in a horrifying escalation of violence against Christians.
Newsroom, June 16, 2025, Gaudium Press – In a devastating escalation of violence, Fulani jihadists slaughtered over 200 Christians in Yelwata, a predominantly Catholic farming village in Benue State’s Guma County, on June 13, 2025. The attack, which saw homes set ablaze and families burned alive, has intensified calls for international intervention amid accusations of Nigerian government inaction.
The assault began around 10 p.m. on Thursday, when over 40 heavily armed gunmen on motorcycles stormed Yelwata, a community 7 km north of Makurdi, chanting “Allahu Akbar” as they opened fire indiscriminately. The village, 97% Catholic and home to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) fleeing prior attacks, was left in ruins. Eyewitnesses reported to Genocide Watch that the attackers, speaking Hausa and Fufulde, targeted women, children, and displaced families, leaving bodies scattered across farmlands, many burned beyond recognition.
Hope Faith Ori, a data officer with the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi’s Justice, Peace, and Development Foundation (JPDF), confirmed at least 150 bodies were counted, with 70 sent to the morgue, and the death toll likely exceeding 200. Rev. Fr. Moses Aondover Iorapuu, Vicar General Pastoral and Director of Communications for Makurdi Diocese, described the attack as “barbaric” in Crux, noting that it left over 200 dead or burned beyond recognition. He highlighted the worsening humanitarian crisis, with contaminated water sources, destroyed food supplies, and survivors facing disease and hunger.
Amnesty International reported at least 100 deaths, while Truth Nigeria, a U.S.-based outlet focused on Christian persecution, corroborated the higher toll of over 200. Tersoo Kula, a spokesperson for Benue State’s governor, claimed a lower death toll of 45 but confirmed the destruction of homes during the two-hour assault.
The attack follows a pattern of violence against Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Last month, Fulani militants killed at least 20 in Gwer West, Benue, and 40 in Plateau State. Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi, whose testimony to U.S. Congress on February 14, 2024, warned of a Christian genocide, believes the Yelwata massacre was retaliatory. “We expected attacks to intensify following the bishop’s testimony, but we believed the U.S. warning would prompt government action. We were wrong,” Fr. Iorapuu told Crux. Anagbe faced threats of detention and harm upon returning to Nigeria after his testimony, raising concerns about government complicity.
Fr. Iorapuu and local leaders assert the attackers’ identity is clear. The Guma local government chairman publicly identified them as Fulani jihadists, rejecting vague labels like “suspected herdsmen.” Emeka Umeagbalasi, Director of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, told Crux that the government’s inaction reflects an agenda to “Islamize Nigeria,” a strategy he claims intensified under former President Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023), a Fulani who allegedly armed jihadists and favored Muslims in security roles.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria condemned the “utterly barbaric massacre,” while Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula, JPDF Director, warned of a “coordinated campaign to permanently displace Christians.” Amnesty International criticized the government’s failure to curb the “almost daily bloodshed,” noting the attackers’ “utter impunity.”
As survivors face a looming cholera outbreak and thousands remain displaced, Iorapuu’s plea echoes Anagbe’s call for global action: “These are human lives wasted; they are not figures to be counted.”
Raju Hasmukh with files from:
– Genocide Watch, “Fulani Jihadists Massacre Over 200 Christians In Nigeria,” June 14, 2025.
– Crux, “Massacre in Nigeria follows bishop’s U.S. testimony on Christian persecution,” June 1, 2025.
– Organiser, “Christian massacre in Nigeria: Death toll hits 200,” June 16, 2025.
– Hungarian Conservative, “Christians Under Attack: Stop the Genocide in Nigeria,” June 12, 2025.
– Amnesty International Nigeria, X post, June 14, 2025.
– Catholic Star, Fr. Moses Aondover Iorapuu, June 2025 (referenced in provided text).
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