On the night of 12 to 13 June 2025, more than 200 Christians were murdered by jihadists from the Fulani ethnic group in the rural community of Yelwata near Makurdi in Benue State. The massacre is a further low point in a chain of violence against Christian Nigerians. The German section of the ISHR, which frequently receives videos of site visits and eyewitness interviews, has already reported on dozens of victims of such massacres several times this year. Since the last editorial deadline, such attacks have occurred several times in Benue: on 25 May in Aondoana, Gwer-West District, on 1 June in Edikwu-Ankpali, Apa District and also on 12 June in Akundu-Tyough, Makurdi, the state capital. Many survivors of these earlier attacks had sought refuge in Yelwata, a predominantly Christian village, only to become victims of this nighttime assault.

According to eyewitness reports, the bloodshed began around 10 p.m. More than 40 heavily armed men on motorcycles stormed the village shouting “Allahu Akbar.” They opened fire indiscriminately on passersby and then set houses on fire. Among the victims were many children who had sought shelter in their homes, which became death traps when the attackers ignited the fires.

The Nigerian state of Benue, usually the scene of the massacres, borders the state of Enugu to the north, where the ISHR partners are based. The town of Eha Amufu in Enugu, which borders Benue, has also been the scene of several attacks in recent months.