Saraki Says Yelewata Massacre “Terrifying”, Calls For Urgent Security Overhaul

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has strongly condemned the gruesome massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, describing the incident as “tragic, terrifying, and unacceptable.”

In a solemn statement on Sunday, Saraki decried the killing of over 200 people in a brutal and coordinated night attack, many of whom were reportedly burned alive, ambushed, and butchered by yet-to-be-identified assailants.

He further lamented that in a second wave of violence, security operatives responding to the scene were also killed.

“The cruellest detail is that the majority of the victims were Internally Displaced Persons,” Saraki noted. “They had already fled their ancestral homes, seeking refuge, only for that terror to hunt them down in a place of supposed safety.”

The former Senate President described the atrocity as a national tragedy that must not be swept under the carpet, calling on security agencies to urgently re-evaluate their strategy in the Benue-Nasarawa corridor and the broader North Central region.

“This heinous act cannot go unanswered. The perpetrators must be swiftly identified, apprehended, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he stated firmly.

Saraki also extended his heartfelt condolences to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the government, and the people of Benue State over what he termed an unimaginable loss.

“My thoughts are with the families of the victims and the entire Benue community. May they find strength and justice in the face of this devastating tragedy,” he said.

The attack, one of the deadliest in recent years, has reignited concerns over the persistent insecurity plaguing Nigeria’s Middle Belt, especially in communities already displaced by previous conflicts.