Gunmen from herding community launch fresh assault on Yelewata village, leaving two residents wounded

On Sunday afternoon, a fresh incursion by suspected armed herdsmen in Yelewata community, Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, resulted in two residents being shot, according to reports.

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This incident occurred in the same community that was invaded on June 13, 2025, and suffered over 200 fatalities, with many survivors still displaced and taking refuge in an Internally Displaced Persons camp.

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A community leader, speaking anonymously, revealed that the armed men entered the community with their herds and confronted the military personnel stationed there, sparking a confrontation.

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As the herders approached Yelewata town, soldiers intervened, prompting the herders to retreat and open fire, with two people being hit by gunfire near the community leader's house.

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The victims, one of whom was a woman shot in the hand and the other in the leg, were immediately treated and transported to Makurdi by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency for further care.

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Fortunately, both victims are still alive, thanks to the swift response of BSEMA, bringing relief that the injuries were not fatal, according to the community leader.

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The attack happened just four days after the Benue State Government distributed improved farm inputs to local farmers to boost food production in the current planting season.

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The community is now concerned that the renewed activities of armed herdsmen may hinder their ability to access and utilize the provided inputs, with the community leader expressing fears for their lives and livelihoods.

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Efforts to obtain comments from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, regarding the incident were unsuccessful as of press time.