According to a report by Punch Newspaper, Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State remains deserted after suspected terrorists killed more than two hundred residents in a series of attacks that left homes in ruins and fields scorched. The once vibrant settlement now stands as a ghost town, its empty streets marked by shattered doors and abandoned cooking pots. Relief agencies warn of an urgent need for shelter, food and medical care for the few families still holding on.
A small group of visitors recently navigated the rubble-strewn lanes to meet the handful of survivors who endured the violence. Among them is Teide User, a 35-year-old farmer expecting his second child. He endures days of hunger and sleepless nights, haunted by memories of loved ones lost and the distant echo of gunfire. His compound bears scorch marks and bullet holes, and maize fields that once fed his family now lie trampled and barren.
The origins of the tragedy trace back to a dispute in nearby Daudu. A Fulani herdsman’s actions at a shared water source prompted a clash with Tiv youth, leaving both the herder and a young Tiv man injured. With no formal mediation, resentment simmered unchecked until it reignited into wider violence. The unresolved grievance, though small at first, set the stage for the devastating assault on Yelwata.
He said: No. About a week before, there was a fight between a Fulani man and a Tiv man in Daudu (a neighbouring community), where a Fulani man was said to have defecated in a stream that people used for domestic purposes. So, people challenged the Fulani man, but he fought with one of the young Tiv men, and they injured each other.
