The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has revealed that ongoing violence in Benue State has forced 6,527 people to flee their homes.
In a statement shared on its official X account on Monday, the agency said thousands of displaced residents – many of them women and children–urgently require food, clean water, medical supplies, and other relief materials.
Among those affected, NEMA identified 82 pregnant women, 252 nursing mothers, and 657 minors.
READ ALSO: ‘It’s insane’, Odumodublvck reacts to Benue killings
“As of last night, displacement figures stood at 1,069 households, comprising 6,527 individuals. Among them are 1,768 females, 759 males, 657 children under 18, 1,870 adults above 18, 252 lactating mothers, 82 pregnant women, and 91 elderly persons.
“Urgent humanitarian support is being mobilised and delivered to alleviate the hardship of the displaced persons,” the agency stated.
The agency explained that fatality figures from the attacks in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, remained unclear due to limited access and security challenges.
It added that ongoing operations would help clarify the death toll.
“Multiple coordinated attacks by unidentified gunmen have targeted various communities across Benue State,” NEMA said.
“The most recent incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday at Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area.
“Casualty figures remain inconsistent due to the volatile security situation and limited access to affected areas. Ongoing rescue and recovery operations are expected to provide more accurate figures.
“Following a distress alert, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were deployed to the scene. Tragically, two soldiers and one NSCDC officer lost their lives in an ambush while responding to the incident in Daudu.”
NEMA also confirmed it was working with both local and international humanitarian organisations to deliver assistance at a newly established Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi International Market.
According to the agency, dozens were injured in the attacks, with 46 people hospitalised. Sadly, 20 later died from their wounds.
It further noted that medical teams attending to the wounded have issued appeals for urgent blood donations.
In a related development, the state Police Command confirmed the attack and reported that some of the assailants were killed during a gun battle with security forces.
Humanitarian support is being coordinated by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), NEMA, UNHCR, Red Cross, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with relief activities underway at the Makurdi IDP camp.
Last Saturday’s assault on Yelewata, believed to have been carried out by armed herders, left many dead and triggered a protest by outraged youths in Makurdi on Sunday, calling for an end to the violence.
The demonstration descended into chaos after security forces fired tear gas at the crowd.
Condemnation of the killings came swiftly from several prominent figures, including former Vice President and 2023 PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and Pope Leo XIV.
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, in a statement on Sunday, put the death toll at 59.
READ ALSO: Benue killing: Comedian Sabinus urges Nigerian govt to act on Benue Killings
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, the governor dismissed reports that the state had been left without support from the Federal Government.
“Seventeen local governments out of 23 were under siege and then we fought it down to nine local governments. We fought it down to six and now to three. It came down because of the full support we got from the Federal Government,” he said.
